Shules
by Andrew's Slinky
Summary: Some romantic, sorta fluffy, pieces between our favorite resident psychic and junior detective, because, dude, who doesn't see that one coming?
1. Nightmares

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

Summary: Just a piece of romantically sweet fluff between our favorite junior detective and our favorite resident psychic because, dude, who doesn't see that one coming?

Juliet O'Hara was fast asleep curled up under her down comforter in nothing but a pair of shorts that rose high on the thigh and low on the hips and a black tank, her hair down. This was her favorite way to be, and she deserved it. She had been awake for what seemed like forever but was actually only a few days working on a case that had scared her senseless.

A man had beaten his wife to death with a baseball bat and seeing the crime scene had made her sick for hours. Then when they'd had the guy cornered, Shawn had burst in, not realizing, not understanding and the man had almost hit him with the bat.

She had almost lost Shawn, and that thought scared her and hurt her more than she'd like to admit. She had gotten used to Shawn over the months, had grown to understand the way he worked, nothing like the way Gus understood him, but she liked to think that she knew a piece of him. She had gotten used to his flirting with her and she had even flirted back a bit, nothing too extreme, but sometimes she couldn't help herself, even though Lassiter would glare at her or sometimes even say something about it.

She turned in her sleep, her groggy mind replaying the day but making it so much worse, exploring the possibilities she had refused to think about while she was awake.

The man was there, bat in hand, her gun was pointed at him, but he didn't look that scared.

Shawn burst in the door to the left of the man, and the entire room froze in shock as the pseudo-psychic noticed the officers with their guns out and the man with the bat, and then the bat swung, and unlike in the scenario that had actually happened that day, the bat made contact with Shawn's head and he tumbled to the ground as two shots rang out, but Juliet's mind was so numb that she didn't even realize they had come from her piece, didn't even register that man fall, and the bat hit the ground as he struggled for breath.

All she could see was Shawn on the ground, his head bleeding profusely, and her head and her heart begged simultaneously for him to pop up in the way that he so often did, with an oddball remark on his tongue and a smile on his lips. It didn't happen, he laid there, the red of his blood soaking into the collar of his white shirt and Juliet hit her knees on the ground beside him, her fingers flying to his neck for a pulse. There wasn't one and she could hear someone screaming, she could hear the pain and then her mind registered that it was her screaming, she was the one in pain.

Lassiter hooked his arms under hers and pulled her off the floor, she could hear him telling her to get up, to back away and not look, that there was nothing she could do, and as much as her partner didn't like Shawn she could hear the tears caught in his throat.

Juliet sprang into a sitting position as though she had been electrocuted, her breath coming in gasps as though she had just run eight miles, the covers pooled at her waist and a fine sheen of sweat covering her body.

It took her a moment to realize that it had only been a dream, that Shawn was okay, he had hit the floor before the bat had hit him, had walked away with just a bit of rug burn on his hands, that he hadn't even been too traumatized, telling her that Gus had attempted something similar with a shovel to try and soothe her obvious fear.

As she tried her best to snuggle back into the warmth of her covers, her mind kept replaying the dream, and she couldn't get it to stop, it was like a record that kept skipping on the song you just can't stand, and by the time you get it to stop the song is stuck in your head.

She turned the other direction and noticed her keys laying on her nightstand next to her cell phone. _It wouldn't hurt to go over to Shawn's and check on him, would it? She had a key for emergencies, though she had a feeling he was just kind of hoping she would stop by for no reason at all. _Before she even thought it through she was out of bed, slipping her favorite pair of flip-flops on, grabbing her set of keys and her cell and running out of her apartment, down the three flights of stairs and into the parking lot, sliding into her car and starting her way over to Shawn's.

She turned the radio up louder than she usually had it, trying her best to drown out her thoughts and the image of Shawn lying bloody on the floor.

She reached his apartment and paused outside of her car, before taking a deep breath and starting up the four flights it took to reach her friend's apartment. She shivered, realizing that she hadn't changed clothes or even put on a jacket and that her showing up at his apartment dressed the way she was might put the wrong idea in his head, but at the moment she couldn't care less because she knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep ever again unless she could see for herself that it had all been a dream and that the man she had become so attached to was okay.

She reached his door and decided that it was more polite to knock, her cell phone told her that it was two in the morning and that showing up at his apartment at this ungodly hour wasn't polite, but still. She knocked twice, there was no answer, no sound at all, and so she knocked again, louder this time. She waited another couple of minutes. Nothing. She knocked for a third time, sure that if she didn't wake up Shawn then she was definitely going to wake up a neighbor of his. She waited after her third knock and sighed loudly as she pulled out her ring of keys and selected the one that went to the lock in front of her.

She gently unlocked Shawn's apartment door and softly opened it.

"Shawn?" she called into the quiet of the apartment, there was no answer and she softly padded her way around his apartment, leaving her shoes by the door.

Shawn had hardwood floors and a small, but relatively clean kitchen, and, she noted in amusement, a pineapple on his counter. The living room was painted in green, it was soothing and warm, but cheerful and silly and it was all Shawn.

Juliet smiled to herself as she walked her way through his apartment, it did suit him. She reached a door and opened it silently, a bathroom. She closed the door in disappointment and then saw the only other one in the apartment. She reached the door painted in white and opened it without knocking or any warning at all that she was there and as her eyes adjusted to the room that was only lit by the moon outside his window she saw Shawn fast asleep on his bed. He was lying on his back, one arm bent behind his head, acting as another pillow, his other arm splayed on the bed next to him.

If she had been looking at anything other than him fast asleep on the bed, she would have seen his shirt, jeans, shoes and socks on the floor and realized that he didn't have anything other than boxers on. But as it was, she didn't see any of it, and a part of her brain was satisfied as she watched his chest rise and fall. He was alive, unscathed, but that other part of her brain, the irrational, hormonal, woman side of her brain screamed and cried and jumped in relief and before she could stop herself she had reached the side of his bed and was on top of him, hugging him and she could hear him start to wake up, but it didn't stop her.

"Oh Shawn." She muttered in relief as she kissed his temple over and over and then his cheek and then just below his ear. She could feel the arm that was previously on the blue of the comforter sling its way over her back, holding her gently to him as he woke up.

"Jules?" he asked groggily, his voice thick with sleep.

"Oh Shawn." She replied, still relieved that he was okay.

Shawn was very confused and it showed on his face, either he was having the best and most realistic dream he had ever had, or Jules really was on top of him, muttering his name and kissing him. Personally he liked both options, but he felt he had a better chance with dream Juliet so he decided to find out which scenario was real.

"Jules, this has got to be the best dream ever or a very strange midnight encounter." He told her, his voice had more strength and this time she heard him. She picked her head up, prying her lips away from his skin and her eyes widened in horror.

"Oh Shawn, I…" but she trailed off as what she had just done hit her and she quickly left her rather risqué position to stand next to the bed, her hand covering her mouth.

"Jules?" he was still so confused.

"I had a dream, and I…" she realized how dumb that sounded, one simple, scary, but simple dream had possessed her enough that she had driven across town in her pajamas and leapt on top of him. That didn't sound crazy at all, you know, if you wanted the men with needles and the padded room to come and give you that lovely white jacket that let you hug yourself all day.

"Jules, what dream?" he asked her, his dark eyes focused only on her, but she couldn't return the gesture, she couldn't look him in the eye, so she stared a little lower and finally noticed that he wasn't wearing a shirt and that made her lose her train of thought also. Then, he was out of the bed and right next to her, a hand on her arm, and his eyes on the top of her head.

"What dream?" he repeated, the junior detective's behavior baffling and scaring him all at the same time.

"I had a dream about today, and, oh Shawn, it was terrible, the man actually hit you and then you were bleeding and Lassiter kept saying to let go, there was nothing I could do, and I was screaming, and oh Shawn there was so much blood…" she trailed off as hard sobs wracked her body and Shawn felt his heart wrench horribly in his chest.

"Jules." He purred softly as he pulled her into his embrace and she threw herself against him, her arms wrapping around his waist as she buried her face in his bare chest and Shawn could feel her tears slide down his skin.

He hushed her as best he could, but she was still very obviously terrified so Shawn leaned down, swept her up into his arms and sat in the armchair next to the window, sitting Jules in his lap, one arm wrapped around her legs that were curled up to her chest, to keep her from sliding off him, the other placed gently and reassuringly against her back, rubbing circles to try and calm her. Her face was buried into his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around him and tears still pouring down her cheeks.

"Shh, Jules, I'm okay, see, I'm okay, okay." He repeated.

"Okay." She parroted softly and he nodded his head, a smile gracing his features.

"Yeah Jules, okay, safe." He kept his answers short, knowing that fear; lack of sleep and slight hysterics would make her reasoning skills and her reception much slower.

The tears slowly started to subside as the combined affect of his gentle circles, warm embrace and the feeling of his muscular thighs beneath her hit her and she started to get drowsy.

Shawn gently rocked her until he felt her breathing slow a bit more and finally even all the way out as she fell asleep. He looked down at her in surprise, he had often envisioned Jules in his arms, fast asleep, wearing next to nothing, and now she was, but not for the reasons he had hoped.

He had hoped that she would be cuddled against him like this after a passionate night of him making love to her, not her barging into his room in the middle of the night, becoming hysterical over a dream she'd had, where he didn't fare too well. He sighed and stood up, keeping her tight in his arms and he debated letting her sleep in the bed and he'd take the couch, but then his mind wondered that if she woke up in a strange bed and started freaking out if he would be able to calm her and then the thought of her having a bad dream again scared him so he decided sleeping apart just wasn't an option. He gently set Jules on the right side of the bed and circled around to the left side, slipping beneath the covers right next to her.

She sensed the change in surroundings and woke up, her eyes wide.

"Shawn?" her hand reaching out for him as her eyes adjusted and he gently grabbed it to show her he was there.

"Right here Jules." He told her and she turned towards him, relieved. He smiled reassuringly at her and she lay back down in the bed, not letting go of his hand. He let her hold onto him, knowing that what she needed was to know that he was there and that he wasn't going to disappear and leave her all alone.

She cuddled up to his side, and he gently switched hands, using his left to hold hers over his heart and his right arm to wrap tightly around her slim, and barely covered, waist to hold her possessively to him.

She sighed in happiness and cuddled up to him, reveling in the feeling of his arms around her. One of her legs gently crossed over his and Shawn resisted the urge to groan as more of her exposed skin touched him, she was so often covered almost head to toe in the suits she wore to work that he was losing his concentration and control at seeing so much of her skin.

He gently rubbed her back and reveled in the feeling of her so close to him because she wanted to be there. She moaned when his hand found the knot in her neck and he worked on massaging it. Shawn nearly lost it when she moaned and tried to keep his mind on anything other than Jules so close to him making such noises.

Juliet woke up several hours later to sunlight streaming in the window and splashing across her face. She sat up groggily and slowly replayed what had happened the night before in her mind. She had driven over to Shawn's so that had to be whose bed she was in, because it certainly wasn't hers.

She pulled the covers back and the chill of the early morning made her shiver. She searched the floor and found one of Shawn's button ups. She pulled it around her, placing her arms into it and buttoning the middle button. She giggled a bit at her reflection in the mirror; his shirt dwarfed her much smaller frame. She exited his bedroom and found him in the kitchen, cutting up his pineapple, still without a shirt, and Frank Sinatra playing in the background.

"Is it sanitary to cut up fruit without a shirt?" she asked him in amusement and he looked up at her to give her one of his own remarks, but the words were stolen from his throat. She was wearing his shirt, the one with vertical blue stripes and it dwarfed her frame, covering her own clothes, making it look like she wasn't wearing anything but his shirt. He thought that she was without a doubt the sexiest thing he had ever seen in his life.

"Shawn?" she asked as she came closer to him, standing right across from him, the counter between them.

"Jules, pineapple isn't just a fruit, it is the mother of all fruits." He shook his head at her before averting his gaze so that he didn't dive across the counter and jump her right then.

"Okay, okay." She conceded to him and snagged a piece of the yellow mother of all fruits and popped it into her mouth.

"Hey now, that's my pineapple." He teased as he jogged around the counter and stared her down. She finished chewing and swallowed.

"Point?" she asked him, feeling a little out of her league with Shawn so close to her.

"Maybe I wanted that piece." He told her, pouting.

"I'm sorry Shawn, but it isn't like you can have it back."

Then he got a gleam in his dark brown eyes and leaned even further into her. She stared at him with wide eyes for a moment and she could feel her knees start to shake.

"Shawn, what are you…?" but she trailed off as he finished his lean and their lips touched. Juliet could see the fireworks shoot off behind her closed eyelids as their lips finally met and gasped when Shawn bit down lightly on her bottom lip.

He was devouring her, slowly, passionately, and Juliet felt every muscle in her body go lax as his tongue explored every crevice of her warm mouth. He wrapped his strong arms around her slim waist and practically had to hold her up, because she couldn't get her legs to support her.

He slowly pulled away from her and smiled. Her eyes were still closed and her lips were a little swollen, but she looked incredibly happy, melting in his arms.

"Shawn."  
"What is it Jules?" he asked her, hoping that she wasn't going to get angry with him for kissing her.

"Is that your way of getting your pineapple?" she asked him and he smirked, she had tasted like pineapple.

"Pretty much." He shrugged and she laughed as her legs finally started to support her. He unwrapped his arms from her and took a step back.

"Do it again." She told him, avoiding his gaze in case he turned her down. He took a step towards her and wrapped her in his arms again. He leaned in slowly and kissed her neck gently. She whimpered and her muscles relaxed again. He smirked as he trailed more kisses up and down the slim column of her neck before latching onto her earlobe and sucking on it gently.

She whimpered again and placed her hands on his shoulders to try and anchor herself to reality because she was losing any and all thought as he continued to suck on her lobe.

"Shawn." She moaned and he started to back her up towards his bedroom.

He lay there several hours later, holding Juliet to him, reveling in her warmth and the fact that he had finally gotten his wish. She was lying next to him, curled into his body wearing nothing but his sheets and she was there after several passionate hours of him making love to her. Just the way it was supposed to be.


	2. Horror Films

I decided (after all your lovely and encouraging reviews) that I was going to do a series of one-shots of Shules, some of them they are already together, some of them they get together, some are POV from Gus, Henry, Vick, or Lassie. They mostly stand alone, hence the name one-shot, but, I suppose, you could link a few together. Anyway, I think I've blathered on enough, on with the show. Or story, whatever.

"Jules!" Shawn called as he jogged into the SBPD, Gus on his heels.

"Hi Shawn." She greeted with a smile before her boyfriend grabbed her around the waist and kissed her hello. When they parted she giggled a bit before slapping his chest with an open hand.

"Shawn, I told you, we have to stay professional here." She scolded quietly, but Shawn wasn't listening, because he knew she didn't mean it, her eyes were sparkling too much; she adored it when he kissed her hello.

"Oh, c'mon Jules, how else are we supposed to make Lassie-face blush?" he asked her as he gestured over to the senior detective, who was indeed turning a lovely shade of maroon.

Juliet laughed and even Gus had a chuckle at Lassiter's expense.

"Shawn, that is not the point." She tried to scold him again but he merely swept her into a more passionate kiss and erased ever memory of that thought from her pretty blonde head.

"Did I say hi?" he asked her as they parted and she smiled gently at his lame excuse to kiss her again.

"Technically?" she asked and he smiled wide before kissing her softly.

"Hi Jules."

"Hi Shawn."

"You two ready to go or what?" asked Gus, slightly uncomfortable with the situation. Not that he didn't like Shawn and Jules together, he thought Juliet was beautiful and smart, she calmed Shawn down quite a bit, and Shawn was good for Jules because he got her to do spontaneous things and to just let loose and have some fun. All in all they seemed like the perfect couple that Gus had always envisioned existed only in fairytales. Not that they didn't fight, because sometimes they did, more often than not on a case and whether or not the other should go because it might get dangerous. But in the end Juliet would win because, one, it was her job to go out there, two, Shawn had a hard time denying her anything, and three, she had a gun.

"Gus, you coming?" called Shawn from down the hallway, Jules' hand wrapped in his own. Gus shook his head clear of his thoughts and chased after his best friend and (he hoped desperately) the future Mrs. Shawn Spencer.

"What're you two doing tonight?" asked Juliet as Shawn walked her over to her car.

"You're coming too, aren't you Juliet?" asked Gus uncertainly, wondering if she had just forgotten.

"Coming where?" she asked in her own uncertainty as she pulled out her keys.

"To horror movie marathon night, of course." Replied Shawn as if it were the most obvious answer in the entire world.

"Horror movie marathon night?" asked Juliet with a quirked eyebrow and Shawn slapped his forehead dramatically.

"Jules, how could you forget? It is only the most amazing night ever, I mean really, pizza, soda, candy, and Hannibal Lector, who could ask for more?" he asked her and she still looked skeptical.

"I don't know, Shawn, you know I'm not a fan of those movies." And at the mere mention she shuddered a bit.

"I know Jules, that's the point, they scare you, so, I can hold you close." He replied with an air as though he was talking to someone of slightly lesser intelligence.

"Okay, but I get the middle cushion." She called and Shawn looked at her in surprise, he always had the middle cushion.

"No way Jules, seniority." He shook his head but the second her bottom lip puckered out and her eyes got a little wider he caved.

"Fine, but I get to hold the candy bowl."

"Are you two coming or not?" asked Gus from the front of his Echo, he was tired of their too cute arguments, they made him slightly sick.

"Yeah, c'mon Jules." And Shawn grabbed his girlfriend's hand and led her over to an impatient Burton Guster.

"Ahhh!" Jules gave another very convincing horror flick scream as Hannibal leapt up and bit a man's nose almost clean off. Shawn and Gus were both laughing in a fascinated horror, but the former made sure to hold his terrified girlfriend tight in his arms, her body curled into his, and her face buried in the crook of his neck.

"Okay, you can look now Jules." He told her but she merely shook her head and mumbled something that he assumed was "No way!"

"Jules, the scary part is over." He told her gently as he tried to get her to look back at the television in his apartment but she wasn't having any of it and so Shawn gave up, content to have her curled against him as he watched the movie with Gus and chomped on candy corn. He and Gus continued to watch "Silence of the Lambs" as Juliet kept her face buried in his shoulder, and it wasn't too long before she was asleep and Shawn smiled as he pulled her closer.

"Shawn, pass the candy corn, Shawn!" Gus turned from his place on the beanbag chair on the floor to look up at the couple on the couch and rolled his eyes. They were curled up together fast asleep and they hadn't even made it through their first Hannibal movie. So much for a marathon. He shrugged his shoulders, moved the candy bowl off Shawn's lap and turned off the television, popping out the DVD so he could take it home. He made a mental note of the night so that Shawn could make it up to him and quietly left the apartment, letting the couple sleep soundly.

Shawn woke up several hours later, and reveled in the fact that Juliet was still there because she wanted to be and he was still holding her in his arms, of course it wasn't after a passionate night of making love, but they would get there.


	3. Trouble with a Capital T

"Shawn, give me the picture." Ordered an exasperated Junior Detective Juliet O'Hara. Why she had let Shawn Spencer into her apartment was a mystery to her. He had offered her a ride to work for the week while her car was in the shop. She could have made him stay in the car, but no, her manners had decided to kick in and before she knew it Shawn was bouncing around her well-kept apartment like a kid on a sugar high.

"Tell me who he is, Jules." He replied, and she groaned, she did not feel like exposing her secrets to Shawn Spencer. He was trouble with a capital T, and Jules was a good girl who played by the rules no matter what, and just like every good girl in the world she had a soft spot for trouble with a capital T.

"He was my best friend in college, now, hand over the picture Shawn." She held out her hand and tapped her foot impatiently but he ignored her request.

"Jules, c'mon, he is giving you the "I wish that we were more than friends because I want to jump you so bad" look in this picture, you two were more than friends weren't you?" he accused and she rolled her eyes.

"No Shawn, and you may be psychic, but you're wrong about him, we were always friends and neither one of us wanted to become more."

He scoffed and she looked offended.

"Oh Jules, sweet, sweet, naïve, Jules, any man who knows you that is single does not want to be just friends, except for maybe Lassie-face, because he's a stick in the mud, or Gus, but that's only because I called dibs." He shrugged.

Juliet blushed at his last comment because she never knew what to make of Shawn and his sexual innuendos or any of the other flirty comments that he made towards her because he was trouble with a capital T and she tried to avoid that in her boyfriends as much as possible, and since when did she start to think of Shawn Spencer as eligible boyfriend material?

"C'mon Shawn, we'll be late for work." She tried to get him to let go of the picture and go to work but she knew that appealing to his love of the rules was never going to work seeing as that love didn't exist, ever.

"Oh Jules, you can be five minutes late for once in your life." He replied with conviction, ever since the episode where she had gotten hit in the head, he had been determined to get her to be a little more spontaneous; she had a dangerous job and needed to live a little.

"Shawn, not now, put the picture down, please."

He weighed the picture in one hand and pretended something was in his other had and shifted them back and forth like scales.

"I will put the picture down, if, you kiss me."

He was playing dirty. On the one hand, if she didn't kiss him she would be late because he wasn't going to tire of this game anytime soon, on the other hand she could kiss him and be to work on time, but on the other, other hand she could kiss him and find out that she really did want trouble with a capital T and then she'd be late to work.

She made a split second decision, leaned in quickly and kissed his cheek, using her diversion to swipe the picture from his hand. She smiled triumphantly and placed the picture on the mantle once more, victorious.

Shawn reached forward, snagged her waist with his hands and pulled her flush against his body.

"Shawn?" she asked him, a little wary of his motives. He leaned in and pressed his lips gently to hers.

She stood in slight shock for a moment before kissing him back with as much passion as she could pour through her lips.

His hands came to rest on her hips, and he pulled her as close as he could, his tongue was working magic that affected her everywhere and she decided that she could be victorious later.

Several hours later, they were on the floor of Juliet's apartment, their clothes thrown everywhere and their bodies intertwined. Shawn reached across Jules' naked form and pulled the blanket off the couch to cover the both of them. She sighed softly in her sleep and hugged the blanket to her.

Shawn ran his fingers through her hair gently and decided that when she woke up, he was going to have to be victorious again.


	4. Accident

"Juliet?" the concerned voice on the phone was scaring the aforementioned blonde.

"Yes?" she asked, the chief never called her by her first name, something was very wrong.

"I need you to come to the hospital, Shawn's been in an accident." The chief's voice caught and Juliet covered her mouth to muffle her cry.

"I'll be right there." She snapped her cell shut in a fluid motion, grabbing her keys and hopping into her car. She placed her dashboard police light onto the dash and switched it on. She didn't care if it was illegal to do that when she wasn't going to a crime scene, but this was an emergency and she needed to get to the hospital as fast as she could.

She raced through traffic, running stop signs and red lights, knowing that she was being reckless, but she couldn't care less about anything at this point. Her mind just kept replaying Chief Vick's words, _Shawn's been in an accident._ Juliet didn't know if that meant he had something as simple as a broken leg or arm or if he was…if he hadn't…she couldn't even think of it, she had to believe that he was okay, had to believe that he was going to be smiling at her as she signed his cast and making inappropriate remarks like always.

Tears she couldn't feel were pouring down her cheeks as she raced through the double doors of the hospital and over towards the head nurse at the desk.

"Jules!" called Gus, using Shawn's nickname for her and she had a sinking feeling in her stomach that she might never get to hear Shawn say it ever again.

"Gus." She called back in relief, there was evidence of recent tears on the man's face, but he wasn't completely breaking down and she took a small comfort in that fact.

"He's okay, just a little beat up, I mean, he isn't okay, but he's…" he didn't voice the last part but they both knew where he had been going and shuddered at the mere thought.

"Can I see him?" she asked as they headed down the hallway and Gus gave an incredulous chuckle.

"He's been asking for you non-stop."

Her heart swelled at that but when they came to the doorway of Shawn's room it deflated just as fast. Gus entered the room just ahead of her, but she couldn't make her feet move forward. Shawn was lying in the bed, a small smile on his face as he attempted to make everyone in the room (Gus, Chief Vick, his father Henry, and even Lassiter) feel more at ease.

He had heavy bruising on his face, his left eye was swollen shut and his lip was split, his right arm was in a sling, his left leg in a cast and various other cuts and bruises littered the parts of his body that she could see.

She could feel the tears slide down her cheeks this time and tried to stifle the sobs that threatened to spill from her throat.

"Gus, where's Jules?" asked Shawn, Gus had gone down the hall to the entrance to watch for the junior detective.

"She's right here…" Gus trailed off as he looked around him to notice Juliet hadn't entered the room.

"Oh c'mon Jules, I won't bite." Purred Shawn happily, he tried to smile, but winced when his split lip throbbed horribly.

"I know." She nodded quietly, she still couldn't make herself enter the room, there were just too many people, and too many emotions to take in all at once.

Shawn seemed to instantly understand her problem and waved his good arm around.

"Out all of you, I want to talk to Jules." He called in seriousness and Lassiter and Chief Vick left first, followed by Gus after he bumped fists with Shawn as a goodbye. Henry stood at the foot of his son's bed, his eyes lingered over his only child for a moment and he flashed him a smile before leaving as well.

Juliet stayed in the doorway, she still just wasn't sure what to do with the situation or the emotions running through her body.

Shawn didn't say anything, he just opened his arms wide, (well the one he could move) and Juliet smiled as she finally entered the room and lay on the bed beside him, her head cradled on his chest and his good arm wrapped tightly around her body.

"Oh Shawn, look at you." She sobbed onto his chest and he chuckled.

"Don't have a mirror Jules, but you could always put one on the ceiling, we could have real fun with it."

She giggled and sobbed all at the same time. He probably couldn't even kiss her without a large amount of pain but he was still making a pass at her.

"Shawn this isn't a time to joke, I mean…look at you." She picked her head up to look at him and he frowned at her.

"It is always time for a good joke." He replied seriously and she smiled, "See? Making you smile is always appropriate."

She blushed and ducked her head back onto his chest, not being able to look at him because she had a sneaking suspicion that he wasn't joking with her this time.

"When the chief said you'd been in an accident, I…I thought that I'd lost you." She started to sob all over again and his grip on her tightened considerably.

"I love you Jules." He told her and she froze, she hadn't heard the smile in his voice.

"What?" she asked him, her head coming off his chest again to look over at him. They had never even been on a real date, and he was telling her that he loved her.

"I love you, I was lying on the concrete bleeding like a stuck pig and all I could think of was you." It was his turn to blush and she couldn't help but think that was incredibly cute.

"Shawn, I don't know what to say." She told him in truth, she had no idea what to say to this wonderful man.

He didn't say anything either, he just leaned forward and captured her lips with his own for a fraction of a second before pulling back, his split lip throbbing.

"Be careful Shawn." She murmured as she saw his pain, and she tried to get her brain to wrap around the fact that he had just kissed her but she couldn't.

"I guess we'll have to put that off for a while, huh?" he asked her a bit sheepishly and she smiled shyly at him.

"At least until your lip is better." She conceded and he pulled her close to him again.

It had been three months since his motorcycle accident and Shawn was completely healed, but his badly broken leg gave him an almost unnoticeable limp that he was working to get rid of in physical therapy. But he wouldn't dwell on it right now because today was Jules's birthday and he was determined to make it special.

"Hi Shawn." Purred Juliet as she kissed his temple.

"Hi Jules." He replied as he squeezed her hand in his before pulling her onto his lap.

"Shawn." She giggled in surprise and he hugged her to his chest tightly.

"Did you have a good day at work?" he asked her and she nodded.

"Yeah, but it was boring, just paperwork." She told him and he let out a small sigh of relief, he really worried about his girlfriend when she was at work, he knew how dangerous it was and prayed everyday to a God he wasn't even sure existed that he would never get a call to got to the hospital for his precious Jules.

"Happy birthday." He kissed her gently and she smiled against his lips.

"You remembered."

He looked offended and she smiled at him.

"Of course I did, your present is over there on the table, go ahead and open it up." He told her, nodding to a large but thin package that lay on the dining room table of the apartment they shared.

"Shouldn't I wait until the party tonight?" she asked him and he gave her a handsome grin.

"It is a present just for you and me, nobody else."

She gave him a wary look but shrugged and stood, leaving the warmth and security of his lap to walk over to the table and stare down at the meticulously wrapped present. She gently reached out and started to remove the paper, she could feel Shawn come up behind her and place a reassuring hand on her hip, his chin resting on her shoulder and his breath warm on her neck.

"What is it?" she asked him but he shook his head.

"Nope, not telling."

She smiled and finished removing the paper and stood in shock and confusion at what she saw. Her own reflection.

"Shawn?" she asked, turning to look at him over her shoulder.

"I do believe this mirror goes above the bed." He told her seriously as he reached down, took the delicate sheet in his hands and started off towards their bedroom, where his dad's trusty carpenter's glue waited him.

Juliet stared in shock at his retreating form but when her brain processed what a mirror on the ceiling above their bed would mean she blushed bright red but followed her boyfriend anyway. This was going to be on hell of a birthday.


	5. Kids

He couldn't believe he had been roped into this. Usually he was the one doing the roping and Gus was the one bitching about whatever his latest scheme was, but this time, Gus had outsmarted him. He still wasn't sure how.

Shawn Spencer was no good for kids, and Gus knew that. He was too much of a big kid himself to be any sort of role model for them. But, kids always seemed to like him, especially Iris, the chief's daughter, she didn't just like him, she loved him and it made an involuntary smile curl its way onto his lips.

So here he was, on his way to the chief's house to baby-sit, when Gus had said he'd do it. But instead, he had gotten an invitation to some boring convention and didn't tell the chief about it, he merely made Shawn take over for him. The traitor.

Shawn slowly trudged his way up the chief's front sidewalk and rang the doorbell, waiting for the confusion that was sure to come when Vick realized it was him and not Gus.

The door opened to Iris on the hip of a petite blonde woman, both their hair tied in low pigtails and when Iris saw him she giggled and held out her chubby arms, but Shawn was too flustered by what he was looking at.

It was Jules holding Iris, and the pair of them looked so much alike with their matching blonde hair in pigtails that it almost seemed like mother and daughter greeting him. Now usually, when he saw a woman it was a short three-week relationship, if it even lasted that long, and he and Jules had never been on a real date, but he knew he wanted her. And her standing in front of him with a child on her hip, greeting him at the door, put a scenario in his head that he had never known to be there before.

It was him, coming home from a long day of work and his beloved wife Jules greeting him at the door, their daughter in his arms.

Sometimes he really did wish that he was psychic.

"Shawn, what are you doing here?" asked Jules in shock. And then it hit him, Gus had lied, he had told the chief about his convention, and she had gotten Jules to take over. Sometimes he loved that man.

"I came to help out, Jules." He replied with a shrug as he swung Iris from her arms into his own, eliciting a giggle from the little girl's lips, and kissed Jules's temple as he passed her in the doorway.

"What?" she finally asked after several moments of shock in the doorway.

"Gus sent me to help." He replied with another shrug as he swung Iris through the air and the little girl's laughter echoed throughout the chief's living room.

"I can handle it." She told him softly, the sight of him with Iris making all sorts of funny pictures and feelings run through her mind and body.

"I'm sure you can." He conceded, he didn't want to get in a fight with Jules, not with all the wonderful pictures and feelings he was getting.

"Shawn…" she let his name hang in the air and he knew he had won. She enjoyed his company too much not to let him stay around, besides the fact that Iris absolutely adored him. He cooed at the little girl and her chubby arms reached out to wrap around his neck. He smiled down at her and kissed her forehead.

Jules smiled at the sight of them, she had never known Shawn to be so calm, and he carried this little girl in his arms as though she were made of the most delicate porcelain and was something to be revered and treasured.

"Shawn?" she asked and he turned to look at her, Iris settling against his chest.

"Yeah Jules?"

"Do you want kids?"

"You offering?" he asked her with a warm smile that grew when she blushed bright red.

"Shawn." She scolded and he smirked.

"Someday Jules, if the right woman ever came along." He told her honestly and gave her such a searching and obvious look that her blush merely intensified.

Shawn had been there the entire three hours that she had to baby-sit and he had managed to keep Iris in giggles the entire time. She had yet to cry once and Jules thought that a miracle, Shawn was just wonderful with kids.

Jules was in the kitchen doing the dishes from the dinner Shawn had cooked (which had been surprisingly good, seeing as he was a bachelor and she had always just pictured him heating up T.V. dinners in the microwave) It was quiet. Too quiet. There were no giggles or clinking of toys and the T.V. wasn't on.

Jules put down the plate she was washing and dried her hands on a dishtowel as she walked towards the living room, her senses on alert. She reached her destination and smiled, the most deliciously warm feeling she had ever experienced reaching the far corners of her heart.

Shawn was lying on the couch, fast asleep on his back. Iris was lying sprawled on his chest, also fast asleep, Shawn's breathing raising her tiny body up and down, lulling her like a lullaby.

"_Do you want kids?"_

"_You offering?" _

She just might be, she just might be.


	6. Hospitals

This chappie was inspired by FanFicFreak-33 who has given me so many great reviews, and i was so inspired by the suggestion that i wrote it in record time and put it up the same day i got the suggestion. Love ya babe, and i hope you enjoy it!

Okay, imagine the most painful cut you have ever gotten. Intensify that pain by a thousand and Juliet O'Hara would still laugh at your pain. She had never experienced anything like this before and she prayed to God that she never would again.

It had been routine. She was only asking questions. And then she was on the floor, in the worst pain of her life.

"Juliet, hold on." His voice seemed so far away, like she was trying to hear him through walls. But she recognized the voice. It was Lassiter, it had to be, and when she opened her eyes to check, there he was, looking down at her in concern and his face was swimming before her eyes.

She tried to reach out to touch him, to stop him from swaying because it was making her sick, but she couldn't. It was like her arms were weighted with lead. And when she managed to turn her head to look away, what she saw made it much worse.

Blood. It was all over the floor, the floor that had been white only a few minutes ago. It had been white, hadn't it? She remembered white, and now there was nothing but red. She wasn't exactly fond of the color red. Not anymore anyway.

"The medics are here, you're going to be okay." It was Lassiter again, and she wanted to tell him to speak up because she could barely hear him, but her tongue felt fuzzy and her lips were numb.

Then she was lifted into the air, placed on something hard and then she was being moved into a large van, or was it an ambulance? She couldn't get her mind to register much of anything and then the only thing that she could see was black.

Junior Detective Juliet O'Hara had been shot.

"Shawn!" Lassiter was calling him by his first name, a sure sign of the ending of the world.

"What's up Lassie-face?" he asked cheerfully but any sign of happiness disappeared when he heard the next words.

"Juliet's been shot."

Shawn's mind went blank, his Jules? Shot? But she couldn't be hurt, not that badly; she was…he never…she just couldn't.

"Spencer, get to the hospital." Then the line was dead, just like his thought process, he couldn't wrap his mind around the words. Jules had been shot. His Jules.

He had no idea how he got to the hospital, or how many accidents he had caused or almost caused by getting there, and at the moment he didn't care.

"Spencer!" Lassiter called to him as he saw the shaking young man enter the crisp whiteness of the hospital, his bike helmet under his arm.

"Lassie! How is she? Is she okay?" it all came out in a rush as he reached the older man, who caught him around the shoulders as he stumbled into the waiting room.

"They took her into surgery just a few minutes ago." Replied Lassiter, his face white.

"What?"

"She was shot in the stomach, they have to remove the bullet and repair some internal damage."

"Is she…?" he couldn't voice the words.

"I don't know."

Shawn started to shake even more and the helmet beneath his arm dropped to the floor.

"Sit down." Ordered Lassiter, taking over, doing what he did best. He shoved Shawn into the nearest plastic chair and the younger man put his head in his hands, trying to block out images of Jules covered in sticky red blood, of surgeons cutting into her perfect flesh.

"Listen Shawn…" Shawn didn't even flinch, "Spencer!"

That got his attention.

"I have to go to the crime scene, I want you to wait here, call my cell if there is any change, you got that?" ordered Lassiter as he handed Shawn a card with his number on it. The pseudo-psychic nodded and took the card with his shaking hands.

Lassiter looked down at him in pity and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly before leaving the hospital, pushing the thoughts of his wounded partner to the back of his mind as he headed out to do his job.

Shawn had never felt so horrible in his life. He was trembling so badly that he was surprised he hadn't had a seizure yet, and he couldn't get the images of a wounded Juliet out of his mind, no matter how hard he tried. There were so many things that he had never gotten to do with her. He had never taken her on a real date, had never admitted that his answers at the speed dating were all his, had never admitted that "close talking" was really his excuse to kiss her. And he had kissed her, placed both his lips over her plump upper one and kissed her. He had resisted the urge to dip his head in further and truly kiss her, passionately devour her. He had wanted her since the day they had met. And that feeling had only intensified as they kept working together. He had gotten his first taste of fear for her when there was Scary Sherry, and again when he had to become a bounty hunter.

They had never had a real first kiss. She hadn't had a chance to kiss him back. He had never held her, he never…he had never told her that he loved her. He had never admitted his true feelings because they scared him. He had never felt that way for a woman before and the feelings he had for Jules were so strong that when she was around his heart beat so hard and fast that he had a feeling it'd break his chest.

He had never gotten to make love to her. Not just sex, he had never had the chance to connect with her, the two of them becoming one, coming close to breaking the laws of physics by two things filling the same space, they had never had the chance to get that close to a miracle. He knew, deep in his heart and in his mind that if they got the chance, they would make a miracle.

If he lost her he knew that he wouldn't survive it, not only because he was going to lose a very good friend, but because the what ifs would kill him.

What if he had told her he loved her?

What if he had told her about his speed dating answers?

What if he had been brave enough to truly kiss her?

What if they had gotten the chance to make that miracle?

Would they have gotten married? Had kids? Grown old together and be that sweet old couple you see in the park, holding hands on their fiftieth wedding anniversary?

What the hell was taking so damn long?

"Carlton Lassiter?" came the call from a nurse and Shawn looked up in fear and hope. He slowly stood on still shaking legs and walked over to the woman in pale pink scrubs.

"He had to leave, uh, I'm Shawn Spencer is this about Jules?" he asked her, his voice shaking as badly as his body.

"Mr. Spencer, are you family?"

He paused for a moment and smiled sadly at her.

"I'm her boyfriend, is she all right?" he asked, the words rolling off his tongue much easier than he thought possible.

"She's out of surgery, everything went very well, the bullet was retrieved, and the damage to her organs was minimal, she is in that room, right there." She pointed to the room two doors down on the right, "She is just coming out of the anesthesia and so she'll be groggy and she may not recognize you at first, don't worry, she'll be just fine."

Shawn smiled at the woman and practically ran to the room she had pointed to. He swung open the door with a little more gusto than entirely necessary a smile on his face, but his heart dropped to the floor when he saw her.

She was pale, and there were various tubes sticking out of her. Her eyes were closed and there were dark circles under her eyes. She looked like death.

"Jules." He whispered as he came to the side of her bed and took her hand in his own. She was cold.

He placed his lips to her temple and then her cheek and finally brushed a soft kiss across both of her plump lips. A spark shot through his body even though she was currently unconscious and didn't react at all to his kisses.

He lay his head down on the pillow, next to hers and sat in the chair next to the bed, he wanted her to know that he was there.

"Ugh." She groaned. She felt like a steamroller had flattened her. She let out another moan and a whimper before she heard a chuckle next to her. She slowly turned her head and caught the gaze of Shawn Spencer.

"That's a first." He purred at her, his eyes holding worry.

"What?" she managed to croak and he smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"A woman moaning next to me in bed and I haven't even touched her yet."

If she could move her arms she would have smacked him, hard. But since she couldn't she settled for a glare.

"Not funny." She managed to speak again and he nodded at her, the smile dropping.

"I know Jules, but I'm not so good with raw emotion." He told her and she closed her eyes.

"No, no, no, Jules stay awake for just a minute." He begged her. She sighed and opened them. Shawn was the only one in the world that could have kept her from going right back to sleep in that moment.

"I love you Juliet O'Hara." He told her and she read his expression. He wasn't teasing or lying. He was telling her the truth, the complete and honest truth. He loved her.

"Shawn, I…" she was too tired, she couldn't finish her sentence.

Shawn smiled sadly and took her pale, cold hand between his two warm ones and kissed it.

"Sleep Jules, I'll see you in the morning."

He didn't move the entire night. He slept on the chair by her bed and kept her hand between his two. The nurses who came to check on Jules had spread the news about the cute couple in the room and now every nurse knew who he was, knew his devotion to his girl and every single one of them began to wish that their boyfriends would be so dedicated.

He woke up to find Jules sitting up, looking at him with a fond smile.

"Hey." She said, her voice no longer cracked and dry.

"Hi." He replied as he sat up fully and squeezed her hand, "How long have you been awake?"

"A few hours, you looked like you could use the sleep, all the nurses keep telling me that you've been here all night."

"Lassie-face called, he had to go to work, I didn't…" he trailed off there for a moment before changing what he was going to say, trying to lighten the mood, "I didn't want you to see the ugly face of your doctor first thing."

She laughed, but stopped suddenly when her stomach pulled.

"Ow."

"Sorry." He instantly apologized, standing over her, making her lay back down, "Should I get a nurse?"

"No, no, I'm okay." She replied reassuringly as she squeezed his hand. He smiled at her and ignoring the voice in his head (who sounded like Gus) telling him not to, he brushed a soft kiss against her lips, the spark still radiating throughout his body.

"Shawn?" she asked, looking at him with wide eyes and he changed the subject.

"Did you know that Gus is away at some ridiculous convention to connect with his inner-child?" he asked her and she smiled.

"Really?"

"Yeah, he blew off a trip with me to go to this thing." He sounded disgruntled as though he had never heard something so ridiculous in his life and deepened his voice as he did a bad impression of his friend, "I'm not going anywhere with you Shawn, I learned my lesson at the Mexican border, twice."

She laughed again.

"What happened at the border?" she asked him and he smiled at her, wiggling a finger like an impatient parent.

"That you will have to learn from personal experience my fair Juliet." He teased and she smiled.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Five months later Juliet was standing in a Mexican prison, a sour expression on her face as her boyfriend tried to barter with the guard. She hated the Mexican border, and she hated herself for not listening to Gus, and she hated that she wasn't fluent in Spanish.

Shawn turned and gave her a reassuring smile as the guard came over and let her out from behind the bars.

She quickly stepped away from the intimidating man and into Shawn's arms. He leaned in and kissed her passionately, slowly devouring her.

She may hate Mexico, but she loved this man.

"C'mon, we gotta go tell Gus." He told her when they pulled apart, and he bounced towards the car like a kid on a sugar high, intent on relaying his latest story to his best friend and then taking his beloved Jules home to create that miracle.


	7. Jealousy

This chapter was inspired by FanFicFreak-33, and her wonderful reviews and ideas.

She was happy for them, really she was. He deserved someone sweet and nice and gorgeous, and that was Alex. She was tall and leggy and a brunette, model curves and bone structure. She was perfection. And Juliet O'Hara hated her.

She hated her perfect mouth and cheekbones, hated her dark, naturally straight hair, hated her long legs and most importantly, she hated that she had managed to snag Shawn.

Now, Jules was a modern woman and knew in her head that people were not possessions and that there was nothing more pathetic than two women battling over a man. But her heart screamed that Shawn was HERS! She had seen him first and this Alex had no right to be with him. Her heart also screamed that she was going to fight this one. She was going to battle Alex with everything she had.

Now, Jules knew how this would be settled between men or animals. An all out battle, with blood and sweat and tears, but this was girl world and all the fighting had to be underhanded and sneaky.

"Hey Jules."

The junior detective's thoughts were interrupted as Shawn hopped onto her desk, Alex's perfectly manicured hand clamped firmly in his own. Jules could feel a flame of jealousy flare at the sight.

"Hi Shawn." She forced a smile onto her face and pointedly didn't say a word to Alex.

"Hello Detective O'Hara." Alex's smooth voice entered the conversation and Jules felt bile rise in her throat, she truly hated this woman. But she knew how to play the game; she'd give her that. She was keeping her hello formal, not using her first name, make her just another detective and not a woman, keeping her from being a threat.

"Hello." Two could play this game.

Shawn, being a typical man, was completely oblivious to the cool demeanors of both women, well, at least the reason behind it.

"Jules, do you have the file on the Kidd case?" he asked her and she felt tears start to swell. He had used to just come over and say hello, with no reason other than to flirt with her a bit, and now he only came for work, and he always brought _her_.

"Sure." She nodded as she reached into a pile on her desk and pulled out the thick manila envelope.

"Here." She handed it to him and his fingers brushed hers for just a millisecond, but she could still feel the sparks. She could still feel the warmth of his touch invade every single one of her senses and she wished that she had had the guts to ask him out but now it was too late, he was with Alex and he seemed happy.

"Thanks." He gave her a cheery smile, one that lit up her world, but that light dimmed when he turned to look over at Alex and that smile grew.

"C'mon, babe, we'll be late for the gallery opening." Urged Alex as she pulled at his hand. His smile dimmed and he turned to Jules to say goodbye, but Alex was pulling him away and he only managed a wave of the hand before she had him around the corner.

Jules waved in return, a sad look in her eyes before looking back at the computer before her. She was supposed to be typing her case reports, but she couldn't stop thinking about Shawn and the fact that he was with that…that…well she didn't have enough of a scathing remark, but when she did…oh, Alex had better watch out.

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"O'Hara?" it was Lassiter and he sounded frustrated.

"What?" she snapped as she looked up at him, annoyed he had dragged her away from her thoughts of how to sabotage Alex and Shawn.

"Did you type those papers yet?" he asked her and she handed him the freshly printed stack.

"Thank you."

She only responded with a curt nod before going back to her computer and her diabolical ideas.

"Are you okay?" he asked her and she nodded again, not so sure she trusted herself to keep her secret jealousy if she had to verbally respond to her partner.

"All right, if you're sure."

She nodded again and Lassiter quickly left the side of her desk, glad she hadn't burst into tears or snapped at him. Sometimes he never knew what his partner was going to do, she seemed really on edge lately.

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Gus watched as Shawn and Alex stood in front of a very beautiful painting and Alex chatted away as Shawn looked at her, his eyes glazed over, clearly not listening to a word she said.

Gus laughed quietly to himself, he had warned Shawn that going out with one girl to make another jealous was not a good idea. Especially since Juliet didn't seem like the jealous type, she seemed more the type to be happy for him and keep her own feelings to herself, no matter how much she may like him.

But Shawn hadn't listened. He'd asked out Alex anyway, and now the pair had been together a month and a half, much longer than any of Shawn's other relationships and Juliet had yet to say a word about any of it. Which was clearly driving Shawn mad, because at first it had been a game, he and Alex had been so attracted to each other that there wasn't a lot of talking done the first two weeks, but now that the physical stuff had slowed almost to a stop, they were talking and Shawn was not interested in any of the things that Alex was.

Alex was very serious, about everything. She hardly ever laughed, unless it was a joke she told, and when Shawn tried to get her to do something silly, like go-cart racing, she vehemently said no, and instead forced Shawn to do some boring art show or gallery opening. Then Shawn would come over to the Psych office and bitch about how he had to stand in a drafty room and be quiet.

"Gus." Shawn bounded over to him and Gus quirked an eyebrow.

"Where's Alex?" he asked as he looked around for her.

"She went to the bathroom, listen, you have to fake an emergency so that I have to go with you and I can get out of this, please."

"No Shawn, I am not bailing you out."

"C'mon, Gus, I'm begging you." He really did sound desperate, but Gus was intent on teaching him a lesson.

"No, Shawn you should have listened to me in the first place. I told you not to try and make Juliet jealous, didn't I? I told you it wouldn't work, she isn't the jealous type, but you went ahead and did it, as usual, and now you've screwed yourself."

"Gus." Shawn looked slightly shocked and placed a dramatic hand over his heart.

"No Shawn, bail yourself out, I am out of here." And to prove his point Gus started towards the exit just as Alex came out of the bathroom.

"Shawn, Gus, where're you going?" asked Alex as she noticed Shawn start to follow Gus.

"Uh, Gus had an emergency, we gotta go, I'll call you." The pseudo-psychic called over his shoulder as he practically ran from the building, dragging a disgruntled Gus with him.

"Shawn, I said no!" growled Gus as they reached his beloved blue Echo.

"Thanks buddy, I owe you one." Replied Shawn, ignoring the comment as he clapped his friend on the back.

"One?! One!? You owe me more than one Shawn, you owe me seventy-thousand and eighty two."

"Gus, who counts stuff like that?"

"I do, when all you say is I owe you one, well, technically, you owe me seventy-thousand and eighty two."

"Gus." Shawn looked appalled but Gus stood his ground as he unlocked his car and slid into the driver's seat.

"We good?" asked Shawn through the window and Gus sighed in annoyance but nodded as he rolled the window down. They bumped fists through the open space before Gus started the car.

"You getting in?" asked Gus and Shawn stood still for a moment.

"No, Jules's place is pretty close to here, I think I'm going to pay her a visit." He said as he started off towards the junior detective's apartment.

Gus smiled to himself as he pulled out of the parking lot.

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Jules gently unlocked her apartment door but had to kick it open, the bags of groceries in her arms too much to use her hands to open the door. She bumped it closed with her hip and set the heavy bags onto her kitchen counter before peeling her jacket off of her. She had only managed to evade getting completely drenched from the storm outside, having gotten to her building just as the rain started down.

She was halfway through putting her groceries away and dreaming of a steaming hot bath and then a nice quiet night of reading when there was an urgent knock at her door. She finished placing her cans of soup and box of hot chocolate onto the shelf in front of her before walking over to the door and looking through the peephole. She quickly opened the door to reveal Shawn, leaning heavily on her doorframe, drenched to the skin.

One arm was placed on the wall by her head and he was leaning forward, the rain making his hair flat on his head, causing his eyes to look darker, drops of water rolling off his nose and chin, his already tight fitting jeans plastered to his skin just like his t-shirt. He was looking at her with the most serious expression she had ever seen on his face.

He looked serious and sexy, in fact he looked seriously sexy, and at that moment there was nothing she wanted more than for him to make serious and sexy love to her.

"Shawn?" she managed, trying to shove her desire to the back of her mind, he was with Alex.

He took a single step forward, righting himself and in one fluid movement buried one hand in the hair at the nape of her neck, the other latched onto her hip and he brought her forward, his lips crashing into hers.

She gasped in surprise, opening her mouth to his waiting tongue and he took no time in deepening the kiss. One of her arms came to wrap around his neck as he kicked the door shut behind him, devouring her.

His kiss was sending electric shocks through her, and her entire body ached for him to touch her more intimately, but it was wrong, wrong, wrong, he was in a relationship with a woman who seemed to genuinely care about him, and no matter how much she liked him or how badly his touch affected her, she wasn't going to be the other woman.

Her head kept saying these things, but her body didn't seem to be listening, because when he turned her and pushed her against the now closed door, his entire body molding deliciously into her own, she wanted nothing more than the barrier of wet clothing to disappear.

"Shawn." She managed when his kisses went to her neck, but it came out as more of a sob than anything else and he instantly stopped, picking his head up to look at her through thick lashes.

"What are you doing?" she asked him and he registered what she was saying. _You_. She wasn't in on this one.

"I…" he had no idea what he was doing. He was attracted to Jules; he wasn't going to deny that. She was beautiful and smart, funny and sweet. She was perfect for him and he had known that from the second he had met her. But she never gave him any sign that she felt even remotely close to anything other than friendship towards him. So, he started dating Alex to find out.

He had only meant to come here and talk to her, find out how she felt. Because he couldn't take dating Alex another second, but she had looked so delicious standing in the doorway, her eyes widening in slight desire as she took in his drenched appearance and he had lost himself.

"I only meant to talk to you." He managed as she removed her body from his and stood on the opposite side of the room.

"More close talking?" she asked him as she crossed her arms over her chest, a defense mechanism.

Shawn registered her tone of voice. She was mad at him.

"No, Jules, really, I just…"

"You just what? Wanted to get something? Borrow a cup of sugar?" Sarcasm.

"Jules, I wanted to talk to you about us."

"What?" she asked him, taken off guard by that one.

"I wanted to ask you what you felt about me, but I think you just showed me." He grinned as color slashed across her cheeks but she refused to be taken in by some flirty comment.

"You're with Alex, why do you need to know how I feel about you, Shawn?"

He took a step towards her, and she took a step back. That hurt.

"Because, I don't want to be with Alex." He hoped that she understood what he was trying to tell her, because he wasn't so good with revealing his feelings.

"So, what do I have to do with it?"

She wasn't going to make this easy on him; she wanted to hear him say it.

"Because, I like you, Jules, and I only started dating Alex to make you jealous." There, he had admitted it.

She surveyed him with a slightly disapproving look, her arms tightening.

"You did?"

"Yes, Jules, I wanted to know how you felt before I told you how I feel." He was starting to get nauseous from all the sharing.

"I'm not really the jealous type." Lie, it was a lie if either of them had ever heard one.

"Liar." He voiced it. She stared at him in slight anger.

"Okay, maybe I was a little jealous." She admitted and he smiled wide as he took a few steps towards her and she let him get closer.

"How jealous?" he asked her and color slashed her cheeks again.

"I wanted to claw her eyes out."

He laughed at that as he finished crossing the room, and pulled her close again.

"All I ever wanted was you." He whispered in her ear, and she shivered not only from the feeling of his breath but the words he whispered.

"You're still with Alex." Always the sensible one.

"That can be easily fixed." He murmured against her hair as he took in the scent of her shampoo. Strawberries.

"Shawn." She was loosing control with him this close and he knew it.

"It can be fixed, Jules." He whispered before claiming her lips with his own again. She moaned in her throat as she swayed into his body, her hands resting on his muscular chest to try and anchor herself to the real world as his tongue eased her lips apart, enticing her, tasting her, devouring her.

She knew it was wrong and as much as it wrenched her heart to do so, she pulled away from him and quickly took a couple of steps back. He looked at her with a bewildered expression, not understanding why she had pulled away from him so fast.

"Jules?"

"I won't be the other woman, Shawn, I won't, so until you break up with Alex, and do it properly, this…" she gestured between the two of them, " whatever it is, it can't happen until you break up with her."

Shawn looked at the lovely blonde detective and knew that she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her, maybe even more so, but she had morals, morals that he respected.

"Okay." He conceded and she smiled.

"Good, you should probably get dry, you'll catch a cold." She gestured to his wet clothing and he smirked.

"You're drenched too." He gestured to the front of her shirt that had been soaked through when he had her pinned against the door. She blushed before passing him, heading towards her bedroom.

"Bathroom's right there," she pointed to a door across the room, "grab a towel and dry off some, I'll make hot chocolate before you go."

Shawn nodded and walked away from her, listening intently and being rewarded as he heard her shirt pool into a puddle of fabric on the floor.

Someday, someday soon, every single article of clothing that she would be wearing were going to hit the floor like that, and they were going to stay there, all he had to do was break it off with Alex, and he was all too ready to do that.

If Jules had been ready to claw out Alex's eyes then his plan had worked, technically. Right? He'd have to brag to Gus later, and fix the problem of owing him seventy thousand and eighty-two favors, after peeling away Jules's clothes.

OMG! another chapter up the same day as the idea comes in from one of my reviewers. and if you are a reviewer who hasn't given me an idea but would like to, i would totally appreciate it, cause i have so many stories that aren't finished yet, sometimes it is hard to get inspired. i love you all, drop me a line sometime

see that bluish-purple button down there in the corner? click on it. you know you want to...read and review people!


	8. Brothers

Juliet was laughing hysterically and normally Shawn enjoyed that. He thought Jules had a lovely smile, and a cute laugh, but this laugh wasn't directed towards him or something he said. It was directed to the tall, muscular blonde man that was standing next to the petite junior detective. They seemed very familiar with each other.

Juliet would place her hand on his arm in a way that made Shawn think that they already knew each other and when he had arrived she had run over to him and he swung her up easily into his arms, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Something that made a horrible feeling dig into Shawn's stomach, something he wasn't so familiar with, at least not when it came to women.

Jealousy.

He was jealous that this man could come in and sweep Jules off her feet, literally, when he himself had yet to work up the nerve to ask her out. He stood there, watching the exchange, feeling the anger and jealousy well up inside of him. And before he knew it he was striding over to Juliet's desk, a fake smile plastered over his face.

"Jules!" he resisted the urge to wince at how fake that sounded.

"Hey Shawn." The laughter was still in her voice, but instead of soothing his fried nerves, it only served to grate on them.

"Hi." He looked over at the mystery man pointedly. Juliet noticed it and quickly introduced them.

"Oh, uh, Shawn this is James, James this is Shawn." She introduced the two and Shawn reluctantly took James's outstretched hand, squeezing it a little harder than entirely necessary.

"Nice to meet you, Juliet has told me a lot about you." Said James politely, shaking out his aching fingers.

"Really? She's never mentioned you." It was petty, but he didn't care, Jules was the girl that he had his eye on, and he wasn't going to let this James guy come in and sweep her off her feet.

"Well, I wouldn't expect she would, poor girl is always so busy with work." Replied James, not taking the bait and remaining as polite as ever, seeming to take pleasure in Shawn's discomfort.

"Yes, I certainly keep her busy." Shawn knew that you could read all sorts of dirty things in that sentence, and he knew that Jules could very well take out her gun and shoot him for implying but he just couldn't resist.

James merely smiled as color slashed across Juliet's cheeks, but both men noticed that she didn't contradict Shawn's statement.

"Look, I have some paperwork I have to go give to the chief, do you two think you can behave while I'm gone?" she mostly directed her statement at Shawn who just gave her one of his winning smiles as James nodded.

"Sure, I'll just wait for you and talk to Shawn."

She looked at them warily but gathered up the manila folders on her desks and tucked them in her arms, leaving for the chief's office, a little nervous about leaving the two of them alone.

"Shawn," started James once Jules was out of ear shot, "you like her don't you?"

"Sure, Jules is a great person…"

"No, I mean, you really like her." James was sure of himself.

"Yeah."

"So why don't you tell her?"

Now Shawn was confused, the jealousy and anger shoved underneath.

"Aren't you two…?" and he trailed off, gesturing to the air between the junior detective and the blonde man before him.

"What? No, Juliet is my sister."

"What?"

"Yeah, I came to visit her for the weekend, we aren't…eww."

"I'm sorry, I thought…"

"It's okay, no hard feelings, but if you don't go over there and kiss her right now, we will have a problem, because she's had a crush on you since the day you met."

"What?" he was still a little confused, Jules like him like that? She had always flirted back a bit, but stopped him when she felt he went too far.

"Your all she ever talks about, it's annoying as hell. She's always Shawn said this…or Shawn did that…you'll never guess what Shawn figured out today. Whenever I call her and ask how work's going she starts off with a Shawn story."

"She does?"

"Yes, now will you just go kiss her?"

Jules had stepped out of the chief's office and was starting towards the two men. She reached her desk and looked at them strangely, trying to gage their conversation, but she couldn't get a thing. So she grabbed her purse and pulled out her keys.

"You ready James?" she asked and he nodded before looking over at Shawn pointedly. Shawn looked back at him and quirked an eyebrow. James gave the slightest nod of the head before turning his back and Shawn smiled over at the younger, much more attractive, (in his eyes) O'Hara.

"Shawn?" she asked, confused.

His smile widened before he reached out and snagged her arm, pulling her into him sharply. She looked up at him in surprise, loving the feeling of him so close to her. He winked at her in his usual flirty way and leaned in, pressing his lips against hers lightly.

She gasped and he deepened the kiss quickly. She moaned against his newest assault, her brain faintly telling her not to kiss him in the middle of the police station in front of so many eyes, but she couldn't get herself to stop.

He pulled away from her gently and smiled when he opened her eyes to see that hers were still closed, her lips slightly swollen and parted, her breathing a bit heavy.

"I'll see you tomorrow Jules." He whispered softly in her ear and she shivered at the feeling. He pulled away from her completely and turned on his heel, leaving her in shock.

_Oh yeah, walk away leaving them wanting more._

He liked Jules's brother James; this would be a family he could have a lot of fun with.


	9. November Heat

Juliet hated November, it was cold and windy and the leaves were brown instead of gorgeous colors, and no snow. She only liked cold if there was snow. It reminded her of sitting in front of the fire with her parents, and brother James, sipping hot chocolate and feeling safe. But now she lived in an apartment with no fireplace and had to settle with turning her heater up all the way.

But she wouldn't trade it, not for anything, because she loved this job, for more reasons than one. One that happened to be tall, dark, handsome, muscular, and psychic. She knew it was bad to have a crush on Shawn, they worked together and it could complicate things in ways she didn't want, and yet, whenever he was close to her, she shivered.

And now she was on her way to see him at his Psych office and was kind of nervous. Usually he and Gus were together all the time, but she could never be sure.

But when she reached his office what she saw confused her and made her laugh all at the same time.

Shawn and Gus had a bucket of what looked like balloons and were tossing them at each other, but Gus was the only one soaked to the skin. Something that widened the smile on the junior detective's face, it only made sense that in a water balloon fight between Gus and Shawn, Shawn would be winning.

"Shawn!" she tried to call over the two men's laughter and shrieks, but they didn't hear her. So she tried to step in between to get their attention when Shawn tossed two balloons at the same time and soaked right through her white shirt.

"Ahh!" she screamed throwing her hands up in surprise, dropping the manila envelope in her hand onto the ground.

"Jules!" Shawn called in surprise as he jogged over to her, shock in his eyes but laughter on his lips.

"This isn't funny Shawn, what are you doing?" she asked him a bit angrily, as she crossed her arms over her chest to hide the fact that you could see her bra through her, now, very thin shirt.

"Playing with Gus." He shrugged, gesturing to his friend who stood there with his mouth open.

"Iiin the middddle of Novemmmmber?" she chattered, the cold catching up to her wet form.

"Sorry." He apologized as he slid his jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders, trying to get her warm.

"Oh, yeah, I betttt. Onnnly becauuuse you gottt caught." Her teeth had a mind of their own.

"I didn't mean to hit you, Jules, I didn't see you." He admitted as he wrapped his arms around her now, rubbing his hands up and down her arms to create heat from the friction.

"Shawn, what are you doing?" she asked him, managing to keep her teeth from chattering for a few seconds.

"Body heat, Jules." He whispered, his lips very close to hers. She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. He smelled like the crisp fall air, mixed with…pineapple.

"You okay?" he asked her as her eyes slid closed and her body started to shiver.

"Yeah, just cold." She could blame her shivering on the cold, if she wanted to.

"C'mon, lets get you inside." He suggested gently as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her to the door, pushing her gently inside.

"Hold on, I'll turn on the heater." He said quickly as he stepped around her and turned the thermostat up as high as it would go, he had to get Jules warm before she got sick.

"You okay?" he asked again as she just stood in the doorway.

"Yeah." She was lying, she knew that getting close to Shawn was a mistake, and her body was having trouble calming down.

"Well, then c'mere, we'll have to use body heat until the real heater turns on." He held his arms out wide to her and reluctantly she stepped into his embrace.

"I'll get you wet." She started to pull back, but he tugged her in closer, sitting the both of them on the couch.

"Don't worry about it, I keep a couple of shirts in the back just in case."

"Just in case of what?"

"In case I get dirty helping out lovely damsels in distress." He smiled wide at her and she laughed, shaking her head, hoping that her face didn't look as flushed as it felt.

"There, seeing you smile is better."

Now she knew her cheeks were as flushed as they felt.

Shawn settled into the cushions more comfortably and pulled her flush against him, one of her arms trapped between their bodies and the other lying over his flat stomach. They were too close; she knew that, especially since the heater had kicked on a few minutes ago, but she couldn't get her body to move, couldn't get her mouth to speak the words her brain was screaming.

_Shawn I have to go, get dressed in dry clothes so I don't catch a cold. _

But the words never left her lips, and she knew why, she was very comfortable with where she was and didn't want to move. Her body was accustomed to his wrapped around her like this and she wasn't so sure if she was completely uncomfortable with that though floating about in her mind.

"You should probably change." His voice broke the silence and her thoughts.

"Yeah, probably." She admitted, sitting up from her position and feeling very suddenly cold all over again.

"You know what, why don't you just borrow one of my t-shirts, at least for now, so we can go over the case you brought." He stood up and started towards the back room and all she could do was nod after his retreating form.

She stood as well, tightening his jacket around her and heading back out into the cold to retrieve the envelope she had dropped in her surprise at being hit with twin water balloons.

"Gus?" she asked, suddenly remembering that he was there as well, but nowhere to be seen. His Echo was missing out of the street and she gave a smile half-smile. She really enjoyed Gus and the fact that he picked up on things like the one between her and Shawn.

She bent down and scooped up the envelope, cradling it to her chest as she ran back inside, the cold not doing any wonders for her health.

"Jules, what were you doing outside?" asked Shawn in concern as he handed her the smallest t-shirt he could find, but it was still going to dwarf her small frame considerably.

"Getting the case." And as if to prove her point she held up the envelope in her hand for his dark eyes to see.

"Oh, okay, uh, the bathroom's right there so you can get changed." He gestured to a door on his right and she nodded before handing him back his jacket, slipping into the other room, but not before Shawn noticed that her bra was pink.

He never usually liked the color pink, but on Jules, especially something so intimate on Jules, it was perfect.

She came back out in a plain black t-shirt of his and he paused in his movements of heating up a mug of tea for her. She looked so adorable in his clothes. The shirt was way too big, and she had to tie the bottom up as well as roll up the sleeves and yet she made it look as though that shirt was made especially for her. He had never seen anything so sexy in all his life.

"Thanks for the shirt." She smiled as she picked up the envelope on the couch and opened it, dumping the contents onto the table.

Shawn looked at her, just blinking, trying to force scenarios and pictures out of his head that involved Jules wearing nothing but his t-shirt.

"Shawn?" she asked as she caught his strange look, and he shook his head as though to right himself but not before she noticed the desire in his look. She knew it was wrong and it would complicate her work life in ways she didn't really want, but she couldn't resist, not when she could still feel his arms around her, his breath on her neck, and she could still smell his distinctive scent on the shirt she was wearing.

He continued to look at her, watching her as she took a few small steps towards him. Then she gave a short breath out as though coming to a decision and took two large steps that breached the gap between them and wrapped a hand around the back of his neck.

She took a moment to look him in the eye before pulling him forward sharply and settling her lips over his. He was surprised, but obviously not paralyzed as it only took him a few seconds to respond to her advances. She whimpered at the feeling of him kissing her back, one hand burying into her hair, pulling it out of its bun and fanning it around her shoulders, the other wrapping around her waist, pulling her entire body flush against him. It was wrong to kiss Shawn Spencer and she knew that, but she also didn't care, not anymore, because she knew that she couldn't stop kissing him even if she had wanted to.

They broke apart when a need for air became apparent but stayed close, his hands still wrapped around her waist and hair, her hand settling around his shoulders, the other coming to rest on his chest.

"Shawn, I…" she wasn't sure if she was going to apologize or not, actually she wasn't sure what her thought process had been at all, because he didn't let her finish, he leaned in again, capturing her lips in the most gentle but passionate kiss that she had ever experienced.

Two days later Juliet had to call in sick to work and was sitting on her couch, wrapped in a blanket, the television remote in her hand, but nothing actually on the screen. She was miserable. She had the worst cold of her life, even though Shawn had warmed her up with tea and his continued kisses, she had still gotten sick. This was another reason she hated November and its horrid weather without the pretty snow to make it worth while.

She was in the middle of a pity fest when she heard a knock on her door and slowly stood, grabbing the box of tissues on her way to answer. She swung open the door to find Shawn standing there, a can of chicken soup and tea bags in one hand, a couple of movies in the other.

"Hey Jules, Lassie said you were sick, I came to play doctor. I would have rented a costume, but that seemed a little extreme, don't you think?" he asked her as though commenting on the weather as he entered her apartment without invitation and started to set up for the soup and tea.

"Shawn?" she asked, dazed.

"Jules, here," he handed her the movies and she read the titles, they were her favorites, "pick one of these and go in and sit down, you should rest. I'll make you a mug of tea and some soup and we'll have a little marathon."

She stood there in slight shock, watching him as he moved around her kitchen in perfect ease before heading off to do as he said.

She was sitting on the couch, waiting for him to come in so she could start "The Princess Bride" when he entered with a mug of tea and a bowl of soup.

"Here." He handed her the hot tea first and she took a deep drink. It was chamomile, her favorite.

"Thank you Shawn, but you didn't have to do this."

"Sure I did, I got you sick. I wanted to make it up to you, and if you're a good girl, maybe we'll play doctor for real." He promised and she laughed as he pressed play and the movie started.

He settled into the couch cushions, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to keep her extra warm and she snuggled into him, glad that he was there to help her out.

He made her feel warm and safe; maybe she didn't hate November after all.

Hey everybody, another two chapters! I am on a roll! And I just jinxed myself. Ah well, it was bound to happen sometime. Tell me what you think. I was rereading some of these and I realized that in every one I had Shawn kiss Juliet, and I wanted her to take control for once, so she does in this one. Too OOC for our beloved junior detective, or no?

Read and review babies, you know you want to.

Andrew's Slinky


	10. Satin Sheets

"You'll have to stay with Detective O'Hara."

"What!" Juliet's head snapped up, unsure if she had heard correctly.

"What?" her statement was echoed by the man in the fedora sitting next to her.

"Mr. Spencer, there has already been an attempt on your life, until this is over you'll need police protection," explained Chief Vick patiently, "and since Detective Lassiter is more than likely going to harm you himself it makes sense that you will stay with Detective O'Hara."

Shawn looked over at her, but Jules kept her face forward.

"Jules?" he wanted to know how she felt about all of this.

"Are you sure?" she asked the chief. It wasn't that she didn't like Shawn; on the contrary, she liked him. A lot. And that may have been the exact problem. She liked Shawn too much to have him living in her small apartment where they would be so close, near a bed…and a shower. It was too much temptation for her liking and almost as if he was reading her thoughts, Shawn leaned in and whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"Don't worry, I won't invade your shower." She could hear the laughter in his voice but it didn't stop the crimson color from slashing across her cheeks as the images of her and Shawn in the shower infiltrated her mind.

"Whatever you think chief." She conceded, knowing from the look on her superior's face that she was fighting a losing battle.

"Very well, Mr. Spencer, Detective O'Hara will escort you to your apartment so you can collect some of your things."

Shawn smiled as he stood and turned to Juliet, offering her a hand to help to stand.

She looked at him for a moment and couldn't help but smile at his appearance. He was wearing a black fedora with a red feather, black dress shirt, jeans and his trademark sneakers. He looked like a gangster from "The Godfather" from the waist up and had been using every opportunity to quote the movie in a bad accent. Even though it was slightly annoying seeing as they weren't sure if the mob had anything to do with it or not, he did look sexy in the fedora.

"Jules?"

She'd looked at him too long and now he was staring at her like she had two heads.

"Coming." She mentally slapped herself for staring at him like a teenage schoolgirl, but she couldn't help it. Ever since the "close talking" incident she had a hard time not thinking about him kissing her.

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"Shawn," she started as they drove to his apartment in her car, "there's only one bed in my apartment so…"

He cut her off mid-sentence.

"Don't worry Jules, I'm a great snuggler."

She hated her lips for finding that funny.

"No, you are sleeping on the couch."

"You don't wanna snuggle?" he asked her, sounding a little put out.

Why was he so cute? If any other man tried to pull off some of the things he said or some of the stuff he did, they would have been threatened with her gun already, several times, but for Shawn, it worked.

"No."

He pouted on his side of the car and she hated her lips for finding that funny too.

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He took a miraculously small amount of time to collect his things and when they arrived at her apartment, he took it all in with a smile.

It wasn't overly girly, or overly masculine, it was…well he wasn't sure of the word but it fit Jules just perfectly. All the walls were a soft cream color, with matching carpets. Her couch was a dark chocolate brown and looked extremely comfortable.

Her kitchen was small but well stocked and clean; everything about her apartment was clean, without looking sterile. He instantly felt at home.

"Welcome to my apartment, Shawn." She greeted him as she slid her jacket off her shoulders and hung it up on the coat-rack in the corner.

"Thanks Jules." He replied with a small smile, feeling very nervous all of a sudden.

"You want a tour?" she asked him and he nodded gently.

She took his hand in her own and showed him every aspect of her apartment that she loved. The view from the one large window, overlooking the streets, and at a distance, the ocean.

She reluctantly showed him her bedroom, after much sweet-talking on his part. It was painted a dark crimson color, making it feel warm and cozy. Her bed was a four-poster with curtains and everything, and her sheets were…black satin?

He quirked an eyebrow at her and she noticed the sheets and blushed furiously all the way to the roots of her blonde hair.

"It's laundry day and I had to wash my cotton ones, these were the only ones left." She defended herself, dropping his hand.

"You sure they aren't there because I was coming to stay?" he asked her suggestively, leaning into her a bit. Her blush intensified and she shook her head, but didn't move away.

"No, laundry day." She told him, but she didn't sound very convincing when she was so very distracted by how close they were, to each other and to the bed with the satin sheets. He noticed her discomfort, and backed away. Now, normally he would make her more uncomfortable, but he had a feeling that she would get revenge while he was asleep, so he gave her the distance she didn't ask for.

She smiled over at him as he took a step back, grateful. He smelled so delicious that she just wanted to eat him and she knew that was a very dangerous thought that she could very easily voice if he had stayed that close.

"So now what?" he asked her, becoming slightly bored and she giggled as she shook her head, ushering him out of her bedroom before he thought of another lewd remark.

"I don't know, but you need to get out of my bedroom."

"Okay, but Jules, laundry day, really?" he asked her, turning to look at her over his shoulder as her small hands pushed against the small of his back.

"Yes, now get out of here!" she was laughing; he took that as a good sign.

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A few hours later, after a dinner that Jules cooked they were settled on her couch, sitting close but not so close that she felt uncomfortable. Shawn's arm was lying across the back of the couch, and while he didn't exactly have his arm around Juliet they both knew what he was doing.

Shawn laughed at a part in the movie on her television screen but Juliet was too distracted by him to even notice what the movie was.

He smelled so good, and the slight stubble on his chin that normally she would find a turn-off only managed to turn her on. She knew that if she made the first move he would readily respond, might not even pause to understand or question her motives, and that thought scared her out of her skin. She knew that if she made the first move they would end up testing out those black satin sheets that she really did only use on laundry day, and that would be bad.

She shouldn't be having these thoughts about a co-worker. Even the sexy co-worker that was sitting next to her, who could make her laugh with a single word and melt with a single look.

"Jules?"

He was giving her a look that was going to reduce her to a puddle at his feet and she knew it.

"Huh?" she asked, trying to register if he had asked her something.

"You okay, you look a little…" he trailed off and gave a motion with his hands that she understood.

"Yeah, I'm fine, really, just thinking." She shrugged and he smiled wickedly at her.

"About those satin sheets and all the fun we could have with them? Me too." He winked at her. She blushed and looked away, unsure of how to respond, with the truth? Or she could lie to him and tell him it would never happen, even though she wanted it too, badly.

She responded in the only way that she made sense to her in that moment. She swung one of her legs over his, straddling him and brought her lips crashing down onto his.

He sat completely still for a few seconds before burying a hand in her hair and wrapping an arm around her waist, holding her over him.

She smiled into the kiss; she knew that she was going to see fireworks when she kissed Shawn but…wow. His kisses were intense, focused, passionate, and if Juliet had her way he would never stop kissing her for the rest of their lives.

But, sadly, they were human and needed to breath, effectively breaking Juliet's wish, as they pulled apart. The both of them were panting heavily and smiling wide.

"Jules?" asked Shawn, not complaining, but a little confused.

She stood up, stepping away from him and held out her hand.

"Let's go test out those sheets." She suggested and he took her hand with a small laugh and she led him to the bedroom.

And as the naked skin of her back hit the cool, smooth sheets and Shawn's warm front covered her own, she decided that Shawn wasn't going to be sleeping on the couch his entire stay at her apartment.


	11. Henry

He loved Shawn, he really did, but sometimes he just wanted to smack him, hard.

Now, normally, Henry Spencer, retired police officer, wasn't a violent man, but his son had been working with Juliet O'Hara for a year now and had yet to make a move. Not a real move anyway. Sure he flirted a bit, being careful to say enough to make her blush but not enough to get a slap, and it was very obvious that he had serious feelings for the beautiful blonde, but refused to say a word.

He and Gus discussed the pair often.

And Gus had said something that got his wheels spinning.

Whenever Shawn and Juliet were together, Shawn was very careful not to get touchy with her.

He had seen Shawn with previous girlfriends and girls he just flirted with and he tried to find anyway to touch them, especially now that he was a "psychic." He'd read their palm or tuck a piece of hair behind their ear or even tickle them if the opportunity presented itself. But with Juliet he remained passive, careful not to reveal his intentions too fast, he was guarded around the blonde.

Henry liked that.

It meant Shawn really cared about her; he wanted to show her that she was more than a body to warm his sheets for a night. He wanted to show her that he respected her, that she was beautiful and smart, and he wanted to show her that he was pure in his intentions.

The phone started to ring, jogging Henry out of his thoughts.

"Hello?" he called into the receiver.

"Hi Dad."

"Shawn." He acknowledged his son with a nod of the head, even though he couldn't see him.

"Listen, I need your help, I think I messed up, Jules is mad at me."

Henry listened quietly and then started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" asked Shawn, indignant that his own father was laughing at him.

"You," replied Henry as he continued to smile, "Tell her how you feel Shawn."

"What?"

"Tell her how you feel, it's obvious to anyone with a pulse." Replied Henry a little sharper than he intended before hanging up on his only child.

Shawn looked down at his cell phone in shock for a moment, wondering if he had heard what he thought he had just heard. Then a smile creeped it's way onto his face.

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Juliet was relaxing at home when there was a knock at her door and she got up to answer it, grumbling under her breath that her rest and relaxation were being interrupted.

"Shawn?" she asked when she opened the door to her apartment to reveal him standing there a bit nervously.

"Hi Jules, do you want to go to dinner sometime?"

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Henry sat in his best suit watching the ceremony with tears rolling unashamedly down his cheeks. He never thought he'd live to see the day.

Shawn stood in a tux, holding Juliet's petite hand in his own, reciting his vows. She was smiling at him with such love in her eyes that it was filling the entire church. Shawn slid the ring onto her finger and she copied his movements, then they both turned towards the priest in front of them.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Shawn's entire face lit up as he leaned forward and kissed his new wife passionately before their assorted friends and family.

Henry watched the couple and as the tears kept rolling he smiled, he had done that, and it was the best lesson that he had ever taught his son. Don't be afraid of love.


	12. Truth

Hey, sorry my update took so long, but I couldn't seem to get inspired, go figure. But here is another couple of chapters, thanks for staying with me. This first chapter is set after the He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not…Oops He's Dead episode.

She was exhausted. Not tired, exhausted. She needed to sleep, but her car was all the way out in the parking lot, and her apartment was a good fifteen-minute drive, and then she'd have to walk up seven flights of stairs because her elevator was out of order.

She didn't want to do any of that; she doubted that she had the energy. So, she had to find somewhere else to sleep. Which meant that she'd have to sleep in her clothes, in the station, up in what she and her fellow cops called the crib. A place for them to rest when a case ran long. They had just finished a long case, without psychic help, much to her grief. When a case was particularly long or hard, having Shawn there to levy the tension with his personal brand of humor always made it easier. (Her fondness for him had nothing to do with the butterflies that jumped into her stomach when he was near, nope, no, it definitely didn't)

"I'm going to the crib." She spoke aloud, but no one flinched. No one answered and when she looked up, she realized why. It was really just her and the chief, who was in her office; everyone else had made it home.

She shrugged and stood, stretching out her cramped muscles and popping a few vertebrae in her back. She put her case files away and pulled her hair out of the tie holding it back. She left her jacket draped over her chair and headed up the short flight of stairs to the crib. She kicked off her shoes and tumbled into the very first bed that her tired feet took her to.

She sighed as she burrowed into the mattress, it wasn't particularly comfortable, but it was warm and a place for her to rest. She curled up in a tight ball, and wrapped her blanket around herself, burying her face into her pillow, a small smile reaching her face as she finally let sleep take over her busy mind.

Shawn was bored. Incredibly bored. He hadn't seen Jules in almost two weeks, there hadn't been any cases for him and that was annoying. He liked working, he enjoyed being a psychic, and being able to be around Jules for hours at a time, being able to use his "visions" as an excuse to touch her had its perks.

He sat there in his Psych office, tapping his fingers on the computer desk. He had been playing Solitaire for three hours now and he was even worse at the game than he thought. That only served to depress him, and he needed a pick-me-up. But Gus was out of town on another one of his dorky retreats, so he decided to go and see Jules, maybe they would have a case for him to solve.

He reached the SBPD and walked into the bullpen, looking for the familiar silhouette of his favorite junior detective, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Jules?" he called into the strange quiet of the room.

"She's up in the crib, Mr. Spencer." Chief Vick was pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Oh, where is everyone?" he asked as he absentmindedly fingered the soft fabric of Juliet's suit jacket.

"Home, we just finished a big case." But that was all she would say before heading back towards her office.

"The crib is up those stairs Mr. Spencer." She pointed behind him as she grabbed her purse, secured the lid on her to-go cup and headed towards the front doors of the station; she had to get home to Iris.

Shawn smiled as he bounded up the stairs two at a time. He burst in through the door in his usual manner but stopped dead at what greeted him.

Juliet was fast asleep, curled up under the blankets and burrowed into the pillow, her eyes shut lightly and her breathing even, making a strand of her golden hair flutter.

Shawn smiled at her and took the two steps to her bedside, sitting on the one across from her, watching her sleep. He knew it might be a little stalker like, the fact that he was watching her sleep, but he couldn't help himself. She was so beautiful that he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Her naked feet were sticking out from the edge of the blanket and he gently tucked the gray cloth over them, making her twitch in her sleep. Her eyes fluttered, but didn't open and he sighed a breath of relief, he hadn't meant to wake her.

He watched her sleep, musing over their relationship for a few more minutes and came to the conclusion that their relationship, for the most part, stayed professional. She was very careful to keep it that way, almost like she was afraid that he would hurt her if she let him get to close. He wanted to be too close; he wanted to know what it would feel like to hold her close, to kiss her, to feel her beneath him in the most intimate way possible.

"_You two matched one hundred percent. I smell love." _

She was right of course. They had matched one hundred percent. He hadn't copied her answers like he had told Juliet. He had answered truthfully, mostly hoping he'd match with a hot girl and be able to milk off of that. But he had matched perfectly with Jules, had found out with his head what his heart had known all along.

They were perfect for each other, and he was in love with her.

He was in love with her!

"Jules." He reached out quickly and shook her shoulder, knowing that if he didn't do it now, he would regret it later.

"Jules, time to wake up."

Her blue eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him in confusion as he leaned over her, one arm on the bed, propping himself up.

"Shawn?" she asked, her voice still thick with sleep.

"I need to tell you something Jules." He replied quickly and her eyes got more focused at the urgency in his voice.

"What is it Shawn?" she asked him and he smiled. Did she detect a hint of nervousness in that smile?

"About that whole speed dating matching questionnaire." He started, faltering halfway through.

"What about it, Shawn?" she asked him, her heart fluttering and those damn butterflies making their entrance.

"I lied."

"Lied about what?" she asked him, confused.

"About copying your answers, I lied, I didn't really, my answers where mine, all the way."

She stared at him for a few moments and resisted the urge to laugh, resisted the urge to add it all up to one of his jokes, because something was holding her back. His eyes. His eyes were stopping her. He wasn't joking with her, his eyes weren't sparkling with mischief or laughter, they were bare, exposed, dare she thing it…vulnerable. He was telling her the God's honest truth.

"They were?" she asked him, sounding a bit dizzy and he nodded.

"Yeah, I should have told you…" he trailed off, embarrassed.

Juliet laid there, with Shawn half on top of her, a blush creeping its way across his face and vulnerability in his eyes.

She reached a hesitant arm up and placed her warm hand on the base of his neck. His eyes left the wall to meet her gaze and even though he was still embarrassed he met her gaze levelly.

She looked into his honest eyes for a moment longer before bringing him forward and settling her lips over his. He instantly responded, leaning forward, pressing his body into her a little as he returned her kiss.

Oh she knew it was wrong to kiss Shawn Spencer in the crib of the police station, but she didn't care, because this was what she wanted, this was what her heart and head both agreed on, the fact that Shawn was the right one.

"_You two matched one hundred percent. I smell love."_

And as creepy as that statement was, it was also true.


	13. Valentine's Day

Now normally, Juliet was a cheery person, always ready to make someone feel better, but she hated this. She hated the giddy schoolgirl giggles, the construction paper hearts and chalky candy. She hated Valentines Day.

It was a holiday made up by the Hallmark card company and it only served to depress. Today was the day that she would get the condescending, pitying smiles from her friends while they held their large bouquets of flowers and heart-shaped boxes of candy. Today made her want to punch them in their smug little faces, when on any other day she adored them.

She had been in a bad mood the entire week, and she knew that she was no pleasure to be around, but she just couldn't seem to stop herself from snapping at everyone. Especially poor Shawn who had only been trying to help her solve the case as quickly and efficiently as possible; he had looked so wounded when she had snapped at him the day before.

"_What's up Jules?" he asked her as he squeezed her tense shoulders and she quickly jerked out of his grasp._

"_Could we just focus on the case and not my personal life!?" she yelled, and he took a quick step back, removing his hands from her body as though he had been electrocuted, his eyes wide._

She felt bad for scaring him, but not having a significant other that close to Valentines Day had made her a little touchy and she had taken it out on the closest person to her, in this instance, Shawn.

"Hey girls." She greeted her friends in the park with fake smiles and tried not to puke as she saw the obvious Valentines Day jewelry and the bouquets of flowers that they held in their arms, some of them just leaving a date for lunch.

"Hi Juliet." Greeted Sara as she hugged her blonde friend and then she held her wrist out for all to see.

"Will you just look at this gorgeous bracelet that Will got me?" she gushed and Juliet pretended to be impressed by the gold and diamond bracelet.

"Its gorgeous." Her smile grew wider but was just as fake.

"Michael got me a necklace." Broke in Gretchen as she pulled her dark hair away from her slender neck to reveal a teardrop pendant, a sparkling ruby nestled among diamonds.

"And Steven brought me red roses, with a poem attached." Sighed Annie, her green eyes filled with tears.

Juliet looked at all her friend's gifts and heard their gushing and felt like pulling out her gun. She did not have the patience for this today, especially not today.

"Whoa, man candy, twelve o'clock." Purred Gretchen as she stared at the path behind Juliet, who simply rolled her eyes, but Sara spun her.

"Check him out."

Juliet's wide blue eyes connected with a pair of dark ones. Dark ones that she knew well. Dark ones that were attached to a rather dashing psychic, who was currently walking towards her, a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"Jules." He reached her and before she could respond with a quick hello, he wrapped a muscular arm around her waist and dipped her back, kissing her with as much passion as one could pour into a kiss.

Juliet's eyes widened and she gasped into the spontaneous kiss, letting Shawn deepen it. He kissed her thoroughly, his tongue exploring every crevice of her warm mouth and just when she thought her knees were going to give out on her if he didn't stop soon, he pulled away slowly, resting his forehead against hers, his arm still wrapped around her waist, bending her back a bit, her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Hi Shawn." Was the only thing she could think to murmur. He smiled down at her and gave her a chaste kiss before setting her back on her feet properly. He handed her the white bouquet and she looked down at it in surprise before inhaling the delicious scent.

"Honeysuckle and lilies?" she asked him, intrigued about the combination.

"I know that roses are the typical Valentines Day flowers, but you said that you were more attached to the scent of honeysuckle and the look of lilies, so…" and he trailed off, shrugging.

She looked at him for a moment, not believing her ears. He had been listening to her rant about flowers? She had just assumed he'd tuned her out, not interested in her particular choice of flowers.

"Thank you." She replied, the only thing she could think to say.

He smiled another knee weakening smile and pulled her close for another kiss. One that she returned readily.

Maybe she didn't hate Valentines Day.


	14. Shopping

Hi everybody, I'm back, finally. I know that I was doing so well with steady updates but then I just couldn't get inspired. But I have a few more chapters for you. Enjoy.

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It had been several months since the Valentines Day incident and Juliet and Shawn had been dating the entire time. Of course it had been an awkward first day in the park. Her friends had promptly freaked out on her when she and Shawn had pulled away from their spontaneous kiss because she had told them that she didn't have anybody when they'd asked her about her plans for Valentines Day, and Shawn had made up some elaborate stories.

But in the end it worked out, as it always did for the pseudo-psychic and junior detective and now they were Christmas shopping. Well, Juliet was Christmas shopping, she had to drag Shawn kicking and screaming (literally) to the mall to help her pick out items for friends and family, and she hoped to get some sort of idea of what to get him.

"Shawn, will you behave?" she hissed for what seemed the thousandth time as Shawn started pressing _every_ button on the singing dolls behind them.

"Oh c'mon Jules, we've been here for five hours already." He whined as he came over to her and dropped his chin onto her shoulder, giving her his best-wounded puppy look. She smiled in amusement and patted the top of his head like he really was a wounded puppy.

"Don't worry, I only have two people left on my list."

"Who?" he asked her wearily as they left the toy store they were in and headed towards the line of department stores.

"Well, since I just bought for my nephew Daniel, that leaves Chief Vick and you." She replied, checking the list in her hand as she maneuvered around people with the precision that only a determined woman could have.

"And how long will this take?" he asked her as he followed her towards the one place that could strike fear into the hearts of the most macho men, and he was including his father in that category, the cosmetics counters.

"Not too long, I want to get her a new perfume."

He was sure that someone up in Heaven hated him for putting him through this torture.

"Okay, but then we can go and do something else?" he begged her and she laughed at his desperation.

"Yes Shawn, then we can leave, I'll just have to figure out what to get you later." She conceded and he smiled at her.

"Okay, but I am getting a present, right?"

"Yes." She rolled her eyes as she stepped up to the counter in front of her and started to sniff the tester perfumes.

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Now Shawn was the kind of kid who had enjoyed playing cowboys and Indians with his friends, because as a cowboy you got to carry a gun and as an Indian you got to wear war paint. And as he looked around him he noticed something.

The testers of makeup looked _a lot_ like war paint.

So he quickly looked over his shoulder at Jules to make sure she was preoccupied and quickly dipped his fingers in the eye shadows. He snuck up behind Jules and kissed the base of her neck, careful not to get fingerprints on her light pink t-shirt.

"What is it?" she asked him gently as she spun to look at him and he quickly reached out, pinching her cheeks gently in his colorful fingers.

"Nothing." He shrugged as he dropped his hands and then kissed the tip of her nose. She gave him a strange look but shrugged it off when the saleslady started to giggle a bit as she showed her some new perfumes.

Shawn ran back over to the makeup and chose his next medium, the lipstick. He gently rubbed his finger over it, knowing not to put too much on, she'd feel it. Then he ran over to Jules a second time, but this time ran his finger along the bridge of her nose, dragging it down. She gave him another odd look and he kissed her forehead to placate her this time.

"Shawn what are you…?" but she trailed off as a few more giggles erupted and the saleslady grabbed her attention again.

Shawn ran back and forth three more times and by the end of his "fun" Juliet had makeup all over her face and truly looked like an Indian covered in tribal war paint, and had absolutely no idea.

"Okay, what are they giggling at?" she asked with slight anger in her tone as she left with the Chief's new perfume and Shawn.

"Dunno." He shrugged and she looked at him strangely reading the expression on his face. Then it hit her. He had done something, what she didn't know, but it couldn't have been good.

"Shawn…" she trailed off in warning as they passed a large column and Juliet caught her reflection in the mirror pieces attached to it. She saw the green and blue across her cheeks, the red down her nose, and the pink smudges on her forehead and chin. Her entire face was covered in makeup that wasn't supposed to be there.

"Shawn!" she was angry now and smacked him hard with her purse before running away from him. He stood there in slight shock, scared that he had truly messed up this time as he was drowned in a sea of bags and presents, holding Jules's purse to his chest.

"Jules!" he followed her out into the parking lot, the bags gathered into his arms. She ignored him as she got into her car. She let him put the bags into the trunk and waited until he had stepped away from the car before she pulled out of the lot, not letting him into the car.

"Jules!" he called in surprise as she drove away from him. He waited for a few minutes to make sure that she wasn't coming back before starting the three mile walk home, cursing himself the entire way for his fascination with war paint.

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"Jules open the door!" he called through the pine of her bedroom door. He had arrived at her apartment and let himself in with his own key just in time to see her slam her bedroom door shut behind her.

"Go away Shawn!" she yelled back. She was angry and she was going to stay angry.

"Jules please open the door, I'm sorry." He called to her, but she continued to ignore him. He had humiliated her in public when all she was trying to do was give them some time together away from work.

"No! I am not opening this door!" she screamed at the top of her lungs and he sighed.

"Jules, please." He begged her, lowering the volume of his voice, he didn't want to fight with her, he wanted her to forgive him and kiss him.

"No!" her answer was sharp and pointed and Shawn sighed again. If she wasn't going to talk to him or come out then he could wait. He slowly slid down the wall outside her door and sat there, waiting for her to relax and come out.

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Juliet finally came out two and a half hours later deciding that she was behaving like an immature child. She may be mad, but they should talk it out, she adored Shawn, he made her feel complete and happy and beautiful and she needed him in her life.

"Shawn?" she called into her apartment, sticking her head out of her doorway. She didn't see him in the room before her until he gave a soft shudder in his sleep and turned a bit. She looked down at him and smiled. He had been willing to wait for her to come out to him.

"Shawn." She whispered as she kneeled down to his height and shook his shoulder.

"Jules?" he started awake and she smiled at him.

"It's okay, calm down, I think we should talk." She told him and he nodded at her, relieved that she still wanted to talk to him.

He slowly got to his feet and followed her into the bedroom, she sat on the bed and he gently sat next to her.

"I'm sorry baby." He immediately apologized and she smiled at him and nodded, scooting closer.

"Yeah, I know." She leaned her head on his shoulder and he sighed in relief as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her to him.

"So I'm forgiven?"

"On a couple of conditions. Never do that to me again, get me a really good Christmas present and a back rub." She nodded as she ticked her three demands off her fingers. He chuckled at her demands but nodded in agreement.

"You got it." He kissed her temple and started on her backrub right then.

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It was Christmas morning and Juliet woke up to the smell of coffee wafting through her apartment.

"Shawn?" she asked as she exited the bedroom, wrapping her robe tighter around her small frame.

"Hey Jules, Merry Christmas." He greeted her as he scooted over so she could sit on the couch with him, snuggling into his body for warmth.

"If you wore something more than my t-shirt and boxers, you wouldn't be so cold." He teased her and she smiled sheepishly.

"They smell like you, it's comforting." She shrugged and he hugged her tighter against his chest.

"Oh, open your present before we go to my dad's. I think you'll want to open it in private."

"Shawn, what did you get?" she asked him a bit warily, wondering if he had gotten her something risqué.

"Nothing horrible. Just open it." He told her and she got up off the couch, out of his arms, and headed over to the small tree in the corner. She bent down before it and pulled out a medium sized box. She headed back over to her boyfriend and sat next to him.

"What is it?" she asked him, holding the box in her lap.

"Open it and find out." He urged her and she smiled at him before pulling off the bow and wrapping paper. She removed the lid only to find another box. She pulled that lid off to uncover another box. And another, and another, and another, she finally made it to the last one and pulled off the lid. Inside was a small, black velvet box, and inside that box was the most exquisite ring that Juliet had ever seen. It was a modest diamond nestled between two sapphires on a platinum band.

"Shawn?" she asked him quietly as he slid off the couch and took her left hand in his own.

"Marry me Juliet O'Hara." He went right to the point and Juliet could feel every breath stolen from her lungs. Not only had Shawn thought up a way to ask her, he had remembered that she wanted something like this to be private and he had gotten the ring she had seen on a day of window-shopping. He had made this perfect.

"Yes."

"What?" he wasn't so sure he heard her correctly.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes!" she squealed as she tackled him in a hug, the pair of them tumbled to the floor.

"I love you Jules." He whispered before kissing her deeply.

"I love you Shawn." She replied as she kissed him back. He slowly sat up and the pair of them returned to the couch and Shawn got back on his knee to slide the ring onto her finger.

"Merry Christmas, Juliet."

"Merry Christmas, Shawn."


	15. Christmas Plans

Hey everybody, another chapter up, and I am proud of this one. I think it's funny, but then again I wrote it at three in the morning after a long night of bad 80's movies and a _**lot**_ of caffeine, so it might suck, dunno. It's another Christmas inspired one, have fun reading, and please review, I live on them. No but really. Not kidding.

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"What are you doing for Christmas?" Juliet asked Shawn as Gus and his new crush (whom he claimed was just a friend) Kylie bickered next to them. They were all sitting on the large couch in front of the fireplace at Kylie's home.

"We're all staying in town, except Kylie, she's going to go home for the holidays." He told her, not looking up from the book in his lap. Juliet nodded and gave a small "oh"; she hadn't expected a different answer. Shawn continued.

"Will you be staying?" he asked her.

"Yeah." She muttered. It was a touchy subject because she wanted to go home very badly but she couldn't because of her job. Sensing her discomfort, Shawn kicked in his charm and flirted a bit.

"I was thinking that you and I could spend a nice, quiet evening staying up late to see if Santa comes.' He told her as he looked up into her gaze. She sensed the playfulness and went along with it.

"I don't know, you've been a naughty boy this year." She teased him with a grin.

"Not as naughty as I could be," he told her huskily as he leaned in, "Besides, if he doesn't come for me, he'll definitely swing by for you."

"Really." She said, not sure what he meant by that statement, and by now, Gus and Kylie were eavesdropping, as Juliet and Shawn were too preoccupied with each other to notice.

"I still say that we should try and catch the big man in the act." he returned.

"Um-hmm. What do we do while we wait?" she asked as she bit her bottom lip.

"Earn us a spot on next years naughty list?" he asked her innocently, and she laughed.

"Oh, you laugh now, but you won't next year when you don't get any presents." He teased lightly as he wagged a finger at her like an impatient parent.

"Really now? Who said I was going along with your plan?" she asked him.

"Oh you know you wanna," he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "There's no way you don't wanna."

"We'll see about that." She paused. "Christmas Eve." Shawn smiled triumphantly.

"You're on, and don't worry, even though you're gonna be on Santa's naughty list next year, you won't be on mine." He teased her as he leaned in further.

"Is that so?"

"Well…no, but I give more gifts to the one's on my naughty list anyway."

"And who all has been on your naughty list in the past?" she asked him.

"Nobody," he told her shrugging, "I just invented it."

"I see." She told him, nodding her head like it was something complicated he was explaining, "I'm glad I could inspire such invention."

"You should be." He told her.

"Oh, stop flirting you two." Interrupted Kylie from her place next to Gus. Shawn gave her a lazy smile and draped his arm around Juliet's shoulder, who in turn, blushed.

"You should talk." Replied the blushing junior detective as she looked from Kylie to Gus in an obvious manner. It was Kylie's turn to blush. Gus smirked.

"How long till Christmas?" asked Shawn.

"Two days." Answered Gus.

"That long?" whined Shawn like a small child. Which Juliet pointed out.

"You're acting like you're five." She scolded him, while attempting to get a look at his book. She knew Shawn and she'd never seen him so interested in one particular book. One subject maybe, but not just one book. Shawn refused to let her look at it though, and kept up with his annoying, but endearing, theatrics.

"You wound me." He said in mock pain as he threw his hand over his heart and fell over. His head landing on her lap. Juliet laughed at him, he was so odd sometimes. Shawn shifted so that he was on his back and he could stare up at Juliet, who was looking down at him, a bemused expression on her face.

"What?" she asked him as he stared, unblinkingly, at her.

"I was just wondering what color your hair was naturally." He stated as he reached out and tucked a piece behind her ear. She leaned into his touch slightly, something he noticed, but didn't mention.

"It's blonde Shawn." She told him, looking into his eyes, wondering exactly why he was so ADD. He gave her a confused look.

"Blonde isn't your natural color." He told her.

"Yes it is, stop causing trouble." She told him. He cocked an eyebrow, and took a piece of her hair between his fingers, examining it. Juliet leaned over him a bit further, so he didn't pull her hair.

"Oh." He muttered as he looked at it, his face screwed up in concentration.

"Yeah, oh. Just listen to me next time, it'll save us the trouble of having to go through things like this." She said to him, a small smirk on her face.

"Like you don't love it." He told her.

"Like, I don't." she told him, as he frowned.

"Well, I can't."

"Why?"

"Because, then I don't get to do things like this." He told her as he placed a hand on her cheek. She leaned into his touch before she could stop herself.

"Oh." She said softly. The moment was interrupted when Kylie's roommate Anna came in the door.

"Hey." She called. Juliet pulled away from Shawn's touch and he sat up from her lap.

"Hey." Answered Kylie as Anna plopped next to Juliet and Shawn.

"Bad day?" asked Kylie, her emerald gaze becoming worried.

"Yeah, Anna, you don't look so good." Chimed in Juliet as she got a better look at her friend. She looked ragged, her eyes had dark circles and she looked thin, and pale. Of course she was a social worker with a much too large caseload and a case had just ended last night. Juliet felt a surge of sympathy for the young woman.

"Up." she motioned to Shawn and Gus. They looked at her in bewilderment, but Kylie understood.

"Up." they repeated together. The two men stood, Anna made to follow, but the other two made her sit back.

"Lay down." Instructed Juliet as she pushed her back onto the couch. She put a pillow under her head as Kylie covered her with a blanket.

"Get some rest, Anna." She muttered as she dragged a hand through her sandy blonde hair. Her eyes drifted shut and she relaxed.

"Hey, we were sitting there." The two men claimed, indignantly.

"Yes, and now you're not." Said Juliet as she picked up Shawn's book from the floor. Before she got a chance to look at the inside Shawn snatched it out of her hands. He grinned at her.

"Now, Detective O'Hara does that belong to you?" he teased her as he took a few steps back.

"No, but it does belong to a friend of mine. But he won't let me see what he's reading. Sometimes I wonder, and now I just really want to know." She told him as she came to stand right in front of him. The two were so close that their noses were almost touching.

Shawn just sighed and clucked his tongue at her.

"Maybe this friend doesn't want you to know."

"Why wouldn't he? I'm just curious." She told him truthfully. She leaned in further and while she had him distracted she grabbed the book from his grasp and took off. Glad that no one was asleep for them to wake up, Shawn chased after her. The two of them ran around the living room in an elaborate game of tag. Juliet giggled as she barely avoided Shawn's grasp and he swore, loudly, as he hit his foot.

He chased her around the furniture and towards the stairs. Juliet smiled at her escape route and jumped onto the stairs. Shawn made to follow her, but paused. Juliet smiled triumphantly from three steps above him. Shawn returned her smile as an evil thought ran through his head.

Just as Juliet was about to turn and go up the stairs, Shawn stepped up and nudged her towards him a bit. He just slid a bit, down to the carpet as Juliet's eyes widened and she lost her balance, sliding down to his feet.

He bent to her level, a smirk on his face as he pulled the book from her grasp. She stared at him like he had two heads, before she started to laugh.

"Nice. Shawn. Very good, but I could have hurt myself." She told him as he helped her to stand. He chuckled with her and pulled her a bit closer than was entirely necessary.

"I think it was good, but I wouldn't have let you hurt yourself." He told her. She smiled at him and he leaned in further, looking very much like he was going to kiss her.

"I should probably go, I have work in the morning." She whispered and he nodded, taking a step back to give her the space she had silently asked for. She smiled at him, said her goodbyes and grabbed her jacket, wrapping it around her tightly as she braved the cold winds of the outdoors. As he watched her go he smiled to himself. He was going to marry that woman. He didn't need to be psychic to see that.


	16. A Miracle in Santa Barbara

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Hey guys, I know that I am so late in updating, but I really ran out of ideas and then my Internet went haywire and then Thanksgiving, and oh my goodness, it is crazy at my place. But anyway, here is another chappie. Hope you enjoy it, and hope it ties up some loose ends left by my other chapter (which I didn't know had loose ends, but what-ever)

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Juliet walked into work to drop off paperwork preoccupied. It was three days till Christmas and she had decided to really take up Shawn's offer to watch for Santa Clause on Christmas Eve, but she was starting to get nervous the more she thought about it. She liked Shawn, she trusted Shawn, but she knew that if the two of them were alone, at night, in front of a fire, there was going to be trouble. She wasn't so sure if she could trust herself, after all, Shawn was trouble with a capital T, and boy did she have a soft spot for trouble with a capital T.

"Hi Jules." Called Shawn happily as he spun around on her desk chair.

"Shawn, what are you doing?" she asked as she came to stand over her desk, looking down at the gorgeous pseudo-psychic currently smiling at her from her chair.

"Spinning, want a turn?" he asked impishly.

"No, spinning makes me nauseous." She replied as she set down her paperwork and rolled her neck to loosen up her sore muscles.

"Really?" he asked her quizzically.

"Yes, once I went to Coney Island up in New York, and my brother and I rode the teacup ride, well, James spun it too fast, and, oh, I was throwing up corndogs for three hours." She shuddered at the mere memory and Shawn smiled, trying to picture Jules as a child, spinning around in a giant teacup.

"Sounds like fun." He remarked off-handedly and she smiled at him as the pure glee lit up his face.

"Maybe for you, but I won't be doing it again, I could swear that I turned inside out I was throwing up so much." She shook her head.

"Maybe one day I'll get you to change your mind." He suggested and she laughed.

"Somehow I doubt that."

"O'Hara!" barked Lassiter as he entered the station, a scowl on his face. Juliet squeaked at the loud noise and Shawn reached out to steady her when she swayed a bit on her heels. She looked down at him and then at his hands on her waist, holding her breath, waiting for him to let go.

"O'Hara, what did I tell you about letting Spencer in here? It's too close to Christmas to be listening to his psychic mumbo-jumbo."

"Oh c'mon Lassie-face, you know you believe me." Smirked Shawn as he leaned around Juliet's body to look at the senior detective.

"No, I don't, get out of here Spencer."

"C'mon Shawn." Pleaded Jules as she grabbed his arm and pulled him up from the chair and away from Lassiter, "Lets go."

"O'Hara, where are you going?" the words were out of his lips before he could stop them and he inwardly cringed, he couldn't just let her walk away with Spencer?

"It's my day off, Carlton, I was just dropping off my paperwork." Replied Jules quickly as she continued to drag Shawn out of the police station before her partner went postal and shot him.

"Bye Lassie-face!" called Shawn as he rounded the corner, Juliet's nails digging into his arm.

"Uh, Jules, you're kinda leaving marks." He whined and she looked down at his arm and the crescent shaped marks she'd left.

"Oh, Shawn, I'm sorry." She apologized as she pulled her hand away. Shawn was glad that she wasn't trying to make him bleed anymore, but he sort of wished that she would keep touching him all at the same time.

"Where are we going?" he asked as he followed her out towards her car.

"I am going back home, you are going wherever it is that you go at this time of day." She replied somewhat warily as she pulled out her keys.

"Oh come on Jules, let's go to lunch." He suggested with pep in his voice as he continued to follow her.

"Shawn, it's ten-thirty in the morning." She laughed as she slid her keys in the car. He reached out and snagged her waist, spinning her around.

"Shawn." She gasped as he took another step closer and pressed her back into the coolness of the car, and his front against her own.

"So it's ten-thirty, we'll go to a late breakfast." He suggested and Jules gulped, trying her hardest to clear her head. He was much too close, much, much, much too close, she couldn't breath, couldn't think, she wanted to respond, but she couldn't.

"Jules?" he asked as her eyes slid closed and her breathing became labored.

"Hmmm?" she replied softly.

"Are you okay?" his voice had dropped in pitch and volume, making her knees shake and butterflies erupt into her stomach.

"Mmhmm." She nodded, her eyes still shut.

"Then open your eyes." He whispered to her, his breath grazing her cheek.

She slowly obliged, letting her eyes flutter open and lock with his dark ones. She still couldn't breathe, or think.

"Better." He murmured. She gulped again, trying to keep the blush at bay, but she knew that he could see it; he was much to close not to be able to.

"Shawn..." She started but he cut her off with a finger to her lips.

"No breakfast, but we're still on for Christmas Eve, right?" he asked her as he took a small step backwards.

"Yeah, sure." She nodded, letting her brain finally return to her.

"Good, we will find Santa." He told her as he headed to his motorcycle.

"Bye Jules."

"Bye."

Juliet took a long, deep breathe and felt her fingers fumble as she turned her key and started up her car.

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It was Christmas Eve and Juliet was standing outside of Shawn's apartment, her hands trembling, unsure if she should knock or just run away as fast as she possibly could. She took a deep breath and raised a fist, letting it fall twice, in short, and quick taps.

"Hey Jules!" greeted Shawn happily as he swung open the door. Juliet smiled widely at him, feeling the butterflies erupt in her stomach once again. _Stupid, persistent butterflies!_ She thought as she offered Shawn the pineapple she had brought. He smiled at her and gladly took the pineapple, setting it on his kitchen counter.

"C'mon in." he purred as he opened the door wider to allow her to enter. She did so with a small smile, shedding her coat along the way. He took it from her and hung it up in the hall closet before taking her hand and leading her into the living room.

"Your place is beautiful." She complimented him, meaning every word. He looked behind him and smiled in thanks. The pair entered his warm living room and Juliet's eyes widened when she saw what was on the television, _A Miracle on Thirty-Fourth Street_, her most favorite holiday movie.

"Shawn, how…?"

"Called your brother." He shrugged and she gave him a quizzical look.

"Why did you call my brother?" she asked him, wondering what secrets her beloved older brother had told the pseudo-psychic that created large and insistent butterflies in her stomach.

"Just wondering what to get you for Christmas, he sent me some info."

"What kind of info?" she asked him warily as the pair sat on the couch. Shawn smiled at her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"A book."

And Jules immediately made the connection, the book from the week before; it was one of her diaries.

"He sent you my diary, didn't he?" she asked him and he shrugged innocently.

"I didn't ask him to."

"Like that makes you the good guy." She replied indignantly as she smacked his chest.

"Well, let's see if this doesn't change your mind." He replied with a blinding smile as he reached over the arm of the couch and pulled up a heavy, square package.

"What's this?" she asked him.

"A present."

She looked over at him in surprise and slight excitement.

"Can I open it?"

"Yeah, you can open it."

She quickly ripped the wrapping paper off and opened the white box on her lap, and when she saw what was inside she gasped.

"Shawn." She breathed as she looked from him to the box and then back, as if to make sure that this was real.

"Do you like it?"

"Shawn, its perfect. You read this from my diary? I was ten."

"You always tell the truth when you're younger, especially about Christmas gifts." He nodded wisely.

"Shawn, I love it." She told him honestly as she pulled the glass music box from it's wrapping and wound it up. It very gently began to play "Silent Night." And she let it sit on the table next to her as she snuggled into Shawn's side to watch _A Miracle on Thirty-Fourth Street. _

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"Jules, wake up." Shawn shook her shoulder but Jules refused to be woken up. Shawn smiled down at his future girlfriend as he shifted her on the couch, pulling a blanket down to cover her.

"Goodnight Juliet, Merry Christmas." He whispered against her hair as he kissed her temple. Sure, they weren't dating yet, but they would be soon, he just had to work up the courage to ask her out, and then they'd be together forever, there was no doubt in his mind.


	17. Fire

Hey guys, I'm back, enjoy the latest. And as always, read and review.

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Juliet was fast asleep, her workload had been double lately and she was exhausted. She hadn't even made it to her bedroom; she had collapsed on the couch four hours ago and had yet to even twitch. So, it made sense when she didn't notice the disaster happening just one room away.

The smoke curled its way through the apartment, grabbing hold of the walls and carpet, burrowing into the curtains, and weaving its way through the rooms until it reached Juliet's nose. Now you would think that this would wake her, but she was so tired that she merely waved it away as a part of the dream she was having.

When she finally awoke, the flames had traveled from the spark in her bedroom's electrical plug all the way into her living room. The smoke was thick and billowing and as Juliet's eyes snapped open she could feel her throat clench and her lungs spasm. She rolled off her couch and onto the floor in an attempt to avoid the smoke as she coughed horribly.

She kept her eyes practically closed as she army crawled towards her door. She reached out and twisted the knob before letting the door swing open and finishing her army crawl out the door. She coughed as she stood, trying to clear her eyes as she bolted next door and knocked quickly on the door. It swung open a few seconds later, and Juliet didn't even waste time with a hello, she burst into the apartment and grabbed the phone, dialing 911.

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"Are you sure you're okay?" the paramedic asked as Juliet sat in the ambulance, a blanket around her slim shoulders.

"Yes, I didn't inhale that much smoke, I'm okay." She nodded softly as she started to stand.

"Is there someone you need to call?" he asked her gently and she smiled in thanks as he handed her his cell phone, stepping out of the back of the truck to give her some privacy.

"Amanda? Hey, its me…yeah I know it's late but I had a small fire in my apartment…no, no, I'm okay, but do you think I could stay with you for tonight…really…that's great, thank you so much."

Juliet showed up on Amanda's doorstep a few moments later with a small smile and went to sleep on her friend's couch, knowing that she'd have to think of something better for tomorrow.

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"Detective O'Hara, are you all right?" demanded Chief Vick when Juliet showed up for work the next morning, avoiding being late by only two minutes.

"Yes." Her answer was cautious, no use in admitting to something that the Chief didn't know about yet.

"I was told there was a fire in your apartment last night?" demanded the Chief again and Juliet nodded her blonde head.

"Yes, there was, but I'm fine, no reason to miss work."

"It is a perfectly good reason to miss work." Replied the Chief indignantly, "and if Mr. Spencer hadn't informed me of what had happened I would never have known."

Juliet kept her head down through the Chief's tirade until she mentioned Shawn, and then her head snapped up.

"Wait, Shawn told you?"

"Yes, he did, he came here looking for you." The Chief sounded slightly confused.

"How did he know?"

"He didn't say."

Juliet spun on her heel and fled the station, intent on finding the psychic, forgetting completely about work and the Chief let her go, knowing that she needed the break. Juliet didn't need to go far, because as she ran down the outside steps of the station she ran straight into the very person she had been looking for, literally.

Shawn Spencer stood before her, his arms wrapped tight around her slim waist to keep her from falling, his dark eyes concerned and no sign of a smile on his face.

"Jules, are you okay?" he asked her quickly; letting his hands roam as he checked her for injury. Juliet let her eyes flutter closed just for a second to revel in how wonderful his warm hands felt against her skin before she remembered what had happened.

"Shawn, I'm fine." She replied as she took a step back from him, "How did you know there was a fire in my apartment and why in the hell did you tell the Chief?"

"I saw it on the news, and I thought you were here at work, but when you weren't I had to ask the Chief where you were, and it just came out. I was worried." He answered her honestly and she kept his gaze the entire time to gauge how truthful he was being.

"Shawn, I can take care of myself." She told him quietly, silently squealing inside at the fact that he was worried about her.

"Jules, I know that, but, fire is something you can't control." His voice cracked a bit and she stared at him in disbelief, he had been scared for her.

"Shawn, I appreciate the concern, I really do. But I'm okay, no reason to worry." She said as she laid a gentle hand on his bicep.

"So where are you staying now?" he asked her and she shrugged.

"I would stay with my friend Amanda, but her apartment is on the other side of town and it takes too long to drive to work, so I don't really know right now." She told him and his brow furrowed.

"What are you going to do?"

"I have to wait until my apartment is fixed, the smoke damage was pretty bad, so, I guess I could stay in a hotel for a while…" she trailed off, muttering to herself on what it was that she was going to do.

"You could stay with me." He offered and at the slightly scared look on her face he instantly regretted it. So he quickly made a joke out of it. "But absolutely no midnight tiptoeing Detective O'Hara, I know I'm adorable, but you'll just have to try and control yourself."

She giggled at the joke and at his finger, which he was wagging in front of her face like a parent scolding a child.

"Okay Shawn, I'll try to keep my urges to myself." She nodded and he smiled at her. She looked down in slight embarrassment at the intense look he gave her and saw something that made her stomach flip. He was wearing his Apple Jacks t-shirt; the one that her horoscope had said her true love would be wearing. Now, normally, Juliet didn't believe in things like that, but she did have a small (huge) crush on Shawn and she did have a small belief (total faith) in true love, so maybe it was true.

"Jules?" asked Shawn as he caught her gaze on his chest, "You okay?"

"Hmmm? Oh, yeah, I'm okay, I was just thinking that it will take a while for my apartment to be fixed, are you sure you don't mind sharing an apartment with me for a couple of weeks?"

He shook his head as though that was the most absurd statement that he had ever heard.

"Nonsense, I share an office and a car with Gus, and I can survive that, it'll be fine."

He sounded so sure that she believed him instantly and smiled at him, feeling the fear that had been threatening to consume her since the night before dissipate.

"C'mon, we'll go to your place and pick up a few things." He offered her his arm and she took it with an amused grin as he escorted her to her car.

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"You can stay in the bedroom, I'll stay on the couch." He offered but she shook her head quickly.

"Shawn, that's silly, I'm the guest, I'll take the couch."

"You're the guest, you should take the bed."

"Shawn…" she started to argue, but he cut her off.

"Of course we could always share, I'm a great cuddler, like a giant teddy bear really." He nodded wisely at her with a semi-serious expression on his face and she started to laugh.

"What happened to no midnight tiptoes?" she asked, poking a hole in his plan and he frowned at her.

"It won't count as tiptoeing if you're already in there at midnight." He told her as though she was of lesser intelligence and she smiled.

"It's okay Shawn, really, I don't mind sleeping on the couch, I've been so tired lately that I could probably sleep on the floor."

He gasped dramatically, placing a hand over his heart like she had said something scandalous.

"I would never make you sleep on the floor, that is reserved strictly for Gus or my father." He told her as he picked up her suitcase and brought it further into the apartment, setting it by the arm of the couch.

"Shawn, you are something else." She giggled and he flashed her an ornery grin.

"I know."

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The battle of sleeping arrangements had been won by Juliet, so to speak, and she was currently sprawled out on Shawn's sued couch, her face buried in a pillow he had given her, and his own covers tucked up to her chin. She, of course, had no idea that he had taken these items from his own bed, or that he was currently sitting on the floor in front of her, flipping through the channels on the television.

He had attempted sleep, in every position he could think of and on both sides and ends of the bed, but it had all been in vain, he just wasn't tired. In fact, if he bothered to think about it, he'd realize that he was too wired because Juliet was so close, he could smell her light perfume in his bedroom, on his t-shirt when they had bumped into each other at the station and then again in the kitchen making dinner. Both times he had to catch her around the waist to keep her from falling, but in the kitchen he had to pull her body flush against his own to keep her from burning herself on the stove.

Oh course, he didn't bother to think about it, because thinking about it would make him realize that his small (huge) crush on Juliet was starting to affect him. He had been attracted to women he worked with before, and he had gladly flirted with them all, just like he did with Juliet, but he stopped himself from making her just another warm body for his sheets. In fact, he thought of Juliet that way, often, in bed, in the shower, in the station, in the car, but he never put the thoughts into action because he knew it was too soon, too fast.

But he knew that he could have Juliet telling him no and then just a few seconds later begging him not to stop, and that thought scared him. He wanted Juliet in mind and soul before in body, and the feeling was new.

She shifted in her sleep and he looked over his shoulder at her, making sure that she was okay and he hadn't woken her up before continuing his flip through the channels. He had gone around the horn several times before settling on Iron Chef and stretching his legs out in front of him, wishing he had made Juliet take the bed so he could sprawl on the couch and watch television, his carpet was kind of itchy.

He looked at the sleeping detective and weighed his options. One, he could stay on the floor and watch the T.V. Two, he could move the television from the living room into his bedroom and watch in bed, or three, he could shift Juliet and watch it on the couch, with her.

He decided that he liked the third option best and stood up, stretching out his sore muscles and pulling his slightly hiked up boxer shorts back down onto his legs. He turned to the sleeping woman behind him and as softly as he could, picked up her legs and sat on the couch, letting them settle across his lap.

She sensed the movement and shifted in her sleep, brushing against him intimately with her calves. He groaned in the back of his throat as he realized just how bad of an idea this was. This was going to be very uncomfortable for him, and if she woke up, if she noticed the state he was in, she would shoot him. He had no doubts about that.

He waited without moving for several minutes until he was sure that she wasn't going to shift against him again and settled in to watch his show, wondering why the secret ingredient was never pineapple.

Juliet shifted again, rubbing against him for the second time and he bit back a moan. He needed to find a way to keep her relaxed and in one place before she brushed against him and woke up, or he lost control and made a move.

He captured her left foot and gently squeezed the instep. She moaned softly in her sleep, but didn't move. He smiled gently at the sleeping blonde and continued to rub her sore feet, letting her relax under his ministrations and fall into an even deeper sleep.

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When Juliet woke up she had the distinct feeling that someone was watching her and shifted on the couch to lock eyes with Shawn, who was watching her from the other end of the couch, her feet on his lap.

"Shawn?" she asked as she rolled over onto her back and sat up, blinking at him with unfocused eyes.

"Sorry Jules, didn't mean to wake you." He apologized as he stood, setting her feet back onto the couch.

"What were you doing?" she asked him and he smiled sheepishly at her.

"I was watching T.V. last night, I'm addicted to Iron Chef." He shrugged and she smiled at him.

"Okay." She nodded as she pulled the blanket off of her and stood up, stretching out her body, moaning lightly in her throat and Shawn quickly spun around, making a straight beeline for his bedroom, trying to rid his mind of how delicious Jules looked so he didn't go back in there and do something stupid.

Juliet finished her stretch and then dug through her suitcase to find something suitable to wear to work, only to remember that it was Saturday, and it was her day off. She disregarded the dark suit in her hand and pulling out her jeans and favorite red t-shirt. She entered the bathroom and did her usual morning ritual before changing and stepping back into the living room to find Shawn in the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of pineapple juice.

"Its Saturday, anything planned?" he asked her innocently and she shrugged.

"Not really, I could do my paperwork…" she mused and he shook his head at her as he handed her a glass of juice as well.

"Today is your day off Jules, lets go do something together." He suggested and she watched him for a moment before taking a sip of the juice he had handed her.

"Okay, what did you have in mind?" she asked him as he took another sip, surprised at how much she liked the pineapple juice in her hand.

"Well, there's a park not too far from here, lets go have some fun." He replied, his voice picking up as he finished his suggestion and she smiled at the enthusiasm in his voice and eyes.

"Okay, lets go."

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Juliet sighed as she felt the air rush through her hair and Shawn's warm hands against her back as he pushed her forward on the swing. She had enjoyed herself thoroughly the entire day in the park with Shawn, never realizing that while he was slightly childish he enjoyed life with a reckless abandon that she had thought impossible.

He had raced her on the monkey bars, told her she was being a baby for not going down the slide, and holding up the line of small children behind her, and then offering to push her on the swing, letting his hands linger against her skin for a little longer than entirely necessary.

As she swung higher and higher, she sort of wished that he'd stop pushing her, she wasn't so fond of heights, and she told him so.

"Okay Jules, okay." He replied and she could tell he was smiling even though he didn't laugh at her. He stopped pushing her, but she was still too high for her own taste and he could see the slight fear on her face.

He reached out and snagged the swing, pulling her backwards towards him, her back pressed firmly against his chest and she turned her face to look back at him, only to realize that he was much closer than she had originally thought.

Their lips were only centimeters away, and his warm breath was brushing softly against her skin. She felt goose bumps appear on her skin and tried to banish them as he concentrated on the beautiful man that was only a small lean away from her. He stared at her with such intensity in his eyes that she could feel the warmth of a blush spread across her cheeks and down her neck like a wildfire, something she couldn't control. He noticed it as well and smirked at her as though he knew exactly what was running through her mind.

"Shawn." She whispered.

"Yeah Jules?" he asked her just as softly.

"Stop looking at me like that." She tried to command him, but it came out as more of a husky whisper.

"Like what?" he asked her, wishing that she would just lean in a bit, give him a sign that what he wanted to do, she wanted too.

"Like you've seen me naked." And she instantly wished she hadn't said that, because his eyes darkened in lust at the suggestion and her blush intensified at the look he was giving her.

"Okay." He nodded as he leaned in and brushed his lips against her own, letting his eyes drift closed. She gasped against his lips, and he deepened the kiss for a moment before pulling away completely. She continued to sit on the swing, her eyes closed and lips parted, wondering why he had pulled away from her.

"Shawn?" she asked as she opened her eyes slowly. He was standing over her, a grin spreading across his face, knowing that he should enjoy the feeling he was having at the moment because she was going to shatter it in a moment, she didn't want him like that, but she had looked so delicious that he couldn't resist leaning in for a small taste.

"Yeah Jules?" he asked her. She stared at him for a moment more before standing up and then leaning on her tiptoes to bring his lips to hers for a second time.

He was taken off base for a moment but wasn't in shock long enough not to return the kiss, after all, he'd daydreamed about this quite a little bit.

Her tongue was warm and searching, her fingers tangled in his soft hair and her body molded into his own beautifully. Shawn moaned in the back of his throat as he pulled her as close as they could get still clothed and returned her kiss with as much passion as she was showing him. Of course he knew he couldn't let it go too far, he wanted her to understand that he wanted her, for other reasons than her body. And though his mind repeatedly told him this, his body wasn't listening. He was molding against her, pulling her closer, kissing her even more fiercely, wishing that they were back at his place and glad that they weren't all at the same time.

"Shawn." She managed when he broke their lips to let the both of them breathe.

"Yeah Jules?"

"Lets get out of here." She suggested, as she played with the buttons on his shirt and he felt his temperature rise as she moved against him intimately.

"Jules, not now, not like this." He replied in a husky whisper as he rubbed her back gently. She shook her head as she popped a few buttons open, exposing the t-shirt underneath and wishing that he wasn't wearing one, because she could feel the muscle beneath.

"Okay, then in a few minutes, at your place." She suggested in just as husky a whisper and he was slightly shocked by her words.

"Jules, are you sure about this, I mean, it's a big step…" she cut him off with another kiss, devouring the words on his tongue. He gladly returned the kiss and the roaming of her hands, wondering exactly how they had gone from just hanging out in the park to making out in the park, and probably scarring quite a few small children in the process.

"Shawn, home, now." She told him as she broke away, pulling him towards the car. He gladly followed her with a wide smile splitting his face.

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Juliet had never felt so beautiful than when Shawn looked at her later in the apartment, his dark eyes drinking in her naked body before him and she knew that letting herself fall for the man hovering over her was the most perfect choice she could have ever made. And just like the disaster in her apartment that brought the two of them together, the feelings they had for one another was a fire they couldn't control.

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Oh my gosh, this has got to be my longest chapter yet. I hope you liked it, I enjoyed writing it immensely. Please review, and is anyone else as excited for the Psych Christmas special this Friday as I am?

Andrew's Slinky


	18. Auction

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Hey guys, I'm back with another chapter, hope you like it, and as always, read and review!

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The Police Auction Ball. She had thought it up. Take bachelors from the police department and auction them off to single women in the area. It was brilliant, money for charity, and dates for all the single officers in her department. Junior Detective Juliet O'Hara was damn proud of herself, everything was going absolutely wonderful. She was in a gorgeous dress, her hair was immaculate, and they were raising a lot of money for charity. Everything was great until _he_ walked onto the stage in his tux. His eyes dark and smoldering, his hair and face scruffy, a large toothy grin on his face. He looked absolutely gorgeous and she could feel large butterflies erupt into her stomach. Then the auction for him began.

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The Police Auction Ball. Jules had thought it up, and somehow had roped him into it. It didn't make any sense, he wasn't a police officer, and he didn't have any trouble finding a date, but when she had looked up at him with those large blue eyes he had melted, instantly. It was a good idea though, dates for the hopeless and money for the homeless. And so far it had gone great, lots of gorgeous women, lots of money, so far the hopeless and the homeless were having a damn fine evening. And then he had walked onto the stage, and caught sight of _her._ Standing there, her light blonde hair pulled into a simple bun towards the nape of her neck, a light blue gown hugging her curves deliciously. He felt large butterflies erupt into his stomach and a smile spread over his face. Then the auction for him began.

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"Hello ladies, this is bachelor number 15, his name is Shawn Spencer and he is a psychic with the police force. Lets start the bidding at ten dollars."

"Ten!" came a shout from the back, a leggy brunette in a red dress that barely covered anything. Juliet felt a small tightening in her stomach.

"I have ten, do I hear twenty?"

"Twenty." Came the call more towards the front from a blonde in a green gown.

"Thirty." Replied the brunette.

"Forty." Countered the blonde.

"Fifty." Challenged the brunette, a little attitude in her stance.

"Sixty."

"Seventy." It seemed the brunette had won and she was smiling triumphantly, and at the sight of her face, the tightening in Juliet's stomach went from small to huge and became very uncomfortable.

"Eighty." She piped up, wondering if the word had really left her lips, and getting her answer when she locked gazes with a shocked Shawn.

"Ninety." Came the cocky bid from the back.

"One hundred." She wasn't sure what she was doing, she did have the money, not in cash, but she could write a check, but this was insane.

"One ten."

"One twenty."

Shawn's face had erupted into a wider grin as the host of the ball silenced to watch the two women battle it out.

"One thirty."

"Two hundred." Countered Jules, her voice slightly angered at the gull of the brunette with the entirely too small dress.

"Three hundred."

"Four." What was she doing?! She couldn't afford to spend four hundred on one date with Shawn.

The brunette in the back didn't challenge her bid and bowed out graciously.

"Sold, for four hundred to our very own Juliet O'Hara." Called the host as the spotlight swept over Juliet's blushing form, and she wished that she hadn't thought of this. Shawn stepped down from the stage to stand next to his date and handed her the red rose in his hand.

"Four hundred?" he asked her with a small smile. She glared at him and walked out of the auditorium, her new date on her heels.

"Jules, c'mon, I was only teasing, but if I had known how badly you wanted to go out with me, I would have asked you out." He called after her as he chased her down the hallway.

"Shawn, go away."

"Nope, you paid four hundred dollars for me, I have to give you your moneys worth."

She rolled her eyes and spun on her heel to answer him when Gus appeared out of nowhere.

"Did I just see what I think I just saw?" he asked the pair incredulously.

"What, Jules paying four hundred dollars for one date with me? Yeah, you did." Grinned Shawn and the pair of best friends bumped fists in triumph.

"You do know you could have had him for free, right?" teased Gus and Juliet could feel her blush reappear.

"Shut up Gus."

Shawn smiled and wrapped an arm around his date's shoulders.

"Don't be bitter, Jules, I am the world's best date." She hated her lips for finding that funny.

"Okay Shawn, after all, I did just spend quite a bit of my rent money." She agreed.

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Juliet had never laughed so much in her life. She was currently walking back to her apartment, hand in hand with Shawn.

"No, but really, and then he says to me, No Shawn, I'm not doing that again." Juliet burst into another peal of laughter, she wondered if Shawn made up the stories that he told her, and yet something about the ease in the way he told them said that he knew these stories from experience.

"Okay, I've told you enough, and answered enough questions. I've got one for you."

She took a deep breath and then looked up at him with a smile still on her face.

"Okay."

"Why did you join in that auction?" he asked her and she shrugged.

"I don't know, something about that woman made me…angry." She wasn't sure if angry was the best word to describe her feelings, jealous seemed more accurate, but she was not going to tell Shawn she had been jealous.

"Angry, huh. How angry?" he teased lightly, smiling back at her.

"I wanted to claw her eyes out." She admitted, looking away and he laughed loudly, easing his hand from hers and wrapping an arm around her waist, bringing her in closer.

"I always did spark jealousy in women." He mused quietly and she giggled as they started up the stairs to her apartment.

"Very funny Shawn." He smiled down at her as the pair stood outside her door.

"I guess this is the end of our date." He started awkwardly, and she nodded, the easiness of the night turning slightly sour as the pair of them wondered how to end their date. He shuffled his feet and she looked down at the slightly dirty green carpet, trying to build up her courage. She took a deep breath and made the decision.

She took a small step forward, and he looked at her, their gazes locking as she pulled him in closer and locked their lips, her eyes fluttering closed as fireworks shot off in her brain.

Shawn made a noise in his throat, somewhere between a moan and her name as he returned the kiss, pushing her two steps back and into the still closed door. She gasped as her back found the smooth painted wood, and his hands found her waist. His tongue took the opportunity she had presented and deepened the kiss. He was warm and soft, his hands and tongue searching her, exploring every curve and crevice that he could get to.

Juliet moaned in her throat, her hands wrapping tightly around his shirt, popping a few buttons. Shawn grinned a bit, breaking their kiss for a moment.

"Jules…"

"Do you want to come in?" she asked him in a whisper and he grinned at her.

"Yeah, okay." He nodded and she kept a tight grip on his shirt as she pulled him over the threshold of her apartment, leading him into the living room.

The pair tumbled onto the couch, her legs over his lap as they kissed. Oh, they both knew it was wrong, they would have to readjust their work life if their were going to become a part of each other's private lives, but neither one cared. And as Shawn swept her up into his arms and carried her towards her bedroom a single thought ran through Juliet's mind.

"_Best four hundred dollars I've ever spent."_


	19. Hugs

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OMG! I totally adored the Christmas special, so funny, especially the little competition between Shawn and his dad "Christmas of '92 was a draw and you know it!" and Lassie's fear of snow globes, hilarious, but there was NOT ENOUGH SHULES! Boo, they had like ten seconds of interaction the entire time, I was kinda bummed, cause now I don't know if this was set after 'Bounty Hunters' or not, cause was this episode part of the season or just a happy little thing to tide all us diehard fans over? (and don't lie to yourself, you know you're a diehard fan) Oh well, its one of life's great mysteries like the Loch Ness monster or North Dakota. Anywho, this is a little something that popped into my head when I was watching the special, but I don't have word for word from the episode so don't hate me if I get it wrong, I only got to watch it once. This was long…and now that you all officially think I'm crazy…on with the chapter.

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Juliet had been a little depressed all morning. Now normally she loved Christmas and the fact that her entire family was coming in to see her. Her brother James, his wife Mary, and their three boys, but this year was different. She couldn't quite get into the holiday spirit. She kept thinking about Mr. Snuggles. She didn't know why, she hadn't thought about him in nearly ten years, but this year she had been reminded of him and was feeling a little guilty and a little sad.

Mr. Snuggles had been her very first cat. She had instantly known that he was the cat for her when she had seen him in the pound. Normally she wasn't really a cat person, she had grown up with dogs but she was in a bigger city and a police officer, she didn't have the time or space for a dog and instead had opted for a cat. Well, Mr. Snuggles had been perfect. He was a shorthaired tabby, with a beautiful gray-blue hue to his coat and wide amber eyes.

He seemed to be smiling at her and begging her to take him home, and she had. She had kept him for a good, happy time of eight years but then he had gotten sick and she had to put him to sleep. She had lost a few nights of sleep due to her crying from guilt but she had consoled herself with an idea of kitty heaven and that had been it, but now…now she was starting to doubt herself.

"Jules!"

She looked up to see Shawn and Gus coming towards her, the first ladened with a large red bag and a Santa hat on his head.

"Hi Shawn."

He smiled wide at her and pulled out a bag of cat toys out of his large red bag and held it up towards her.

"Don't worry, Mr. Snuggles said that it didn't hurt at all, it was exactly like going to sleep, and Kitty Heaven is a wonderful place."

Juliet could feel her heart swell with happiness that Shawn would think to pass on this information to her and she took the bag of toys with a smile.

"Wow, thanks Shawn, this is exactly what I need to get into the holiday spirit." And she spread her arms wide to emphasize her point and then saw Shawn do the same. She continued to smile and decided to thank him a little more personally. She stepped into his personal space and hugged him. And not one of those, I'm afraid to touch you, hugs, but a real hug, with full body contact and everything.

Shawn hesitated for a moment before returning Juliet's hug, wrapping his muscular arms around her slim waist as hers went around his neck bringing their faces closer together.

"Thank you Shawn." She murmured against the nape of his neck and he couldn't form a coherent sentence to reply with. He just sort of nodded and tightened his grip for a moment to indicate that he had heard her.

She smiled at the non-verbal state she seemed to have gotten the normally chatty psychic into and tightened her grip in return. She didn't let go until someone cleared their throat and she stepped back from Shawn a little embarrassed at how long she had let that hug last.

Shawn looked over at Gus as though to scold him for clearing his throat but Gus merely shrugged; he had been a great wingman and hadn't said a single word. Then Shawn looked over a little further to see Lassiter smirking at him.

"Shouldn't you be leaving, Spencer?" he asked the pseudo-psychic a bit harshly and Shawn rolled his eyes while Juliet scoffed.

"Really Carlton, its almost Christmas, why are you such a Grinch?" she asked him, instantly coming to the defense of Shawn, he had made her Christmas perfect by telling her that Mr. Snuggles was okay and she felt a pang of anger erupt when Lassiter barked at him.

Shawn looked over at her in appreciation and she gave him a soft smile and a wink before leaving his side to sit at her desk and put the bag of toys (which she assumed were for her two current cats, Romeo and Tibult) with the pile of things that she needed to take home so that she wouldn't forget.

"Merry Christmas Jules." Called Shawn over his shoulder as he left with Gus by his side and she smiled and waved in return.

"Merry Christmas Shawn." She called back, wondering when exactly it was that she had fallen for Shawn. She could still feel his warm arms around her, and the scent of his cologne was wrapped around her and she found herself wishing that it would be like that always with Shawn. She had feelings for him.

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"Oh Juliet, it is so wonderful to see you!" Juliet's mother, Bridget, greeted her as she came through the door of Juliet's apartment, kissing her daughter on the cheek.

"Hi Mom, Dad." Greeted Juliet, returning her mother's kiss then leaning up on tiptoes to hug her father.

"Hello, Juliet." Murmured her father, Anthony, as he leaned down to hug his considerably shorter daughter.

"Oh Juliet, did you forget how to dust?" asked Bridget as she ran a finger along Juliet's furniture and then examined the two specks of dust on it with a critical eye.

"No Mother, I just dusted this morning." Replied Juliet with an air of exhaustion to her voice. She adored her parents, she really did, but her mother was always criticizing something.

"Now Bridget I'm sure our Juliet knows how to dust, she learned from the best after all." Broke in Anthony, breaking up the fight that was sure to erupt between his wife and daughter and Juliet sent him a grateful smile that he returned.

"When are James and Mary getting in?" asked Juliet as she closed the door tightly and took her parent's coats.

"Oh sometime tonight I would imagine, those boys are probably driving Mary nuts." Laughed Bridget and Juliet smiled as well as she showed her parents around the apartment, pointing out the few changes she had made since the last time they had visited.

"Juliet Elizabeth O'Hara, who is this?" asked her mother incredulously, pulling a picture down from one of the many shelves and holding it towards her daughter.

"Oh, that's my partner Carlton Lassiter." Replied Juliet, placing the picture back on the shelf.

"Hmm, no date again I see?" replied her mother, unsatisfied with her daughter's answer.

"No Mother, no date." Confirmed Juliet, wishing that she hadn't invited her family to stay a few days more than they normally did.

"Oh well, perhaps next year you will find someone suitable enough to introduce to your mother, maybe even get married before I die." Bridget murmured under her breath, but Juliet caught every word and had to bite down on her tongue, hard, to keep herself from blurting out something rude and disrespectful.

"Now Bridge…I'm sure Juliet will find someone, after all, she is so beautiful, how could she not?" Anthony broke in for a second time and for the second time his only daughter sent him a grateful smile.

"Thank you Daddy."

"Yes she's beautiful, but if she keeps carrying around that gun then no one is going to speak with her."

"Mother, that is a part of my job."

"Oh Juliet, you and that job, when are you going to get more serious?"

"More serious…Mother I adore that job, and I'm good at it!" she replied indignantly.

"Juliet, it is too dangerous for a woman to be a police officer, I mean really, couldn't you just have been a flight attendant or a nun or something?"

Juliet resisted the urge to roll her eyes and before she could reply scathingly to her mother's harsh remarks her father placed a sturdy arm around her shoulders and steered her towards the kitchen.

"Lets get a drink, shall we?" he interrupted loudly, separating his wife and daughter before a fistfight broke out.

"Be more serious Juliet, be a flight attendant. What is serious about a flight attendant?!" thundered Juliet as her father poured himself a glass of water, listening quietly to his daughter's rant.

"What is her problem, she already has a child married with kids, why can't she get off my case?"

"She wants you to have a life outside of the force, baby, she wants you to have a family of your own, she's only worried."

"Worried about what? That I'll get too old to get married?"

"No, that you'll be injured on the job, or heaven forbid, die on the job and be all alone."

Juliet paused in her angry answer to think about what her father had said and sighed.

"I guess so, but Daddy, I adore this job, and I'm good at it. I help people on a daily basis, I save lives, and I am not going to quit just because she's worried. I won't become a flight attendant or a nun."

"Okay, baby, okay. Lets go back out there and listen to your mother rant some more."

Juliet groaned.

"C'mon." her father ushered her back into the living room where her mother was waiting on the couch, already criticizing that it was too firm.

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Shawn was all settled in for a quiet night at home to mull over Gus's parents and their involvement of the death of their neighbor. It just didn't make any sense, he knew these people, had known them all his life and he couldn't picture them, either of them, killing someone.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a knock at his door and he set down his bowl of pineapple with a sigh and slowly stood from the couch. He walked through the living room and over to his door, looking through the peephole. What he saw had him pulling open the unlocked door instantly.

"Jules?" he asked softly as the opened door revealed the junior detective standing in the hallway, a nice blue dress adorning her frame, her hair in soft waves down her back, (just the way he liked it) and large tears streaming down her face.

"What happened?" he asked her, his heart twisting at the sight of her.

"I got into a fight…with my mother and…oh God Shawn, it was awful, some of the things I said…and I got so angry…" she wiped a few stray tears away and Shawn stood there, waiting for her to continue, "I left…but I can't go back, not now…and…I didn't have anywhere else to go."

She sounded so scared and helpless that he took instant pity on her.

"Oh Jules, c'mon." and he held and arm out to usher her into his apartment. He had always dreamed of Juliet coming into his apartment willingly, dressed in a killer outfit, and she had done all of these things, only she was crying, and upset and it would not be cool for him to make a move. The irony was not lost.

"What happened exactly?" he asked her as he got her to sit on the couch and he sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her shaking shoulders.

"She was nagging me like usual and I just lost it. We were yelling and screaming, and oh Shawn, some of the things I said…" she trailed off, hiccupping from the force of her tears and he pulled her firmly into him, letting her cry into his chest.

"It'll be okay Jules, it'll be okay." He tried to soothe her but her tears weren't slowing down.

"I can't go back there Shawn, I told her that I wished she wasn't my mother." She whispered against her chest and he nodded.

"Well, you won't have to go back right now, but Jules, you do have to go back sometime, it is your apartment after all."

She smiled at his logic and nodded her head, but didn't move from her place, curled in his warm arms.

"I know that, but I can't go back and look at her and see the hurt."

He just continued to hug her, letting her know that he was there and that he wasn't going to leave.

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"Think you're ready to go back now?" he asked her once she had stopped crying and cleaned up a bit in his bathroom.

"Yeah, I guess so." She nodded, wiping under her eyes to catch the last few tears.

"C'mon, I'll take you back over." He offered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders again and leading her towards the door.

"Thank you Shawn." She whispered.

The ride over was silent and when they got out, still no words were said until they reached Juliet's apartment door.

"Home sweet home." Remarked Shawn off handedly and she smiled at him.

"Yeah. Thanks Shawn." And she reached up and hugged him tightly, a gesture that he gladly returned.

"You're welcome Jules, merry Christmas." He whispered in her ear and she shivered at the feeling of his warm breath and the goose bumps that they created.

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Henry, Shawn, Gus and Gus's parents were all enjoying their Christmas morning when it was interrupted by a knock on Henry's door. Shawn got up to answer it, and was surprised at who was standing on his father's porch.

"Hey Shawn." Greeted Juliet as she stood on the porch, a pineapple in her hand.

"Jules, what are you doing here?" he asked her as he reached out, took the pineapple, and ushered her inside all in one movement.

"Uh, I just came to wish you a merry Christmas, your neighbor, Mrs. Crabtree, said you'd be here so I just came to say thanks for the other night and merry Christmas, I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

"You aren't interrupting, we were just hanging out, telling stories, having fun, come join in."

"I would love to, but I really only meant to stop for a moment, my family's back at my place, but I thought since I spent the whole morning with them they wouldn't hold it against me if I stepped out for a moment."

"Just stay for a couple of minutes." He pleaded as he continued to lead her through the house, towards the living room where the rest of the party was.

"I…okay, just a couple though, then I have to leave."

"Deal." He grinned at her as he wrapped an arm around her slim shoulders, hugging her to his side.

"Hey everybody, look who decided to stop by." He called into the room as he and Juliet passed under the doorway.

"Hey Jules." Greeted Gus and she smiled in greeting.

"Freeze!" called Henry and both Shawn and Juliet stopped, wide eyed, under the doorframe, wondering what they had done wrong.

"What Dad?" asked Shawn as Henry got up from his chair and walked over to the couple, stealing the pineapple from Shawn's hands.

"Mistletoe." He replied in a single word, a smirk on his lips and then Shawn made a face.

"You hang up mistletoe in your house when Gus and his parents come over? Dad."

"Just kiss her Shawn."

Juliet blushed as Shawn looked down at her in surprise as though he had forgotten she was there and she smiled at him as his own grin spread steadily across his face.

"I think I can do that."

He leaned down to her height and while she half expected him to give her a real kiss she was still caught unprepared when he did so. He brushed his lips across hers gently before dipping in again; letting his lips linger a bit longer the second time. She responded without thinking and he smiled into the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her waist and hers went around his neck.

They finally pulled apart a few minutes later to whistles and catcalls from Gus and Henry, and even a few from Gus's parents. Juliet blushed while Shawn smiled and hugged the junior detective closer to him, both of them knowing that next year they wouldn't be single for Christmas.

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Okay, this didn't turn out quiet the way I wanted it to, but I like it. And I put the O'Hara family in Juliet's apartment instead of a house like in the episode cause it worked better for my story, same with the mistletoe and Juliet's mother being a critical witch, worked for the story. Hoped you all liked it, review please!

Andrew's Slinky


	20. Kiss

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Hey everybody, I'm back. This may very well be my last post until after Christmas, my house gets pretty hectic around this time of year, but I might be able to work another one in there, dunno. But I just wanted to say that I appreciate everything you guys have said, good comments and great ideas. Thanks for staying with me through twenty chapters and have a great Christmas, or Hanukkah, or Kwanza, or whatever it is that you do or do not celebrate.

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Junior Detective Juliet O'Hara is a very sensible person, for the most part. She trusts in what she can see, or what she can touch, and yet, she has a soft spot for the Santa Barbara Police Department's resident psychic and her horoscope. And since Shawn wasn't around, hadn't been for a few days (and she didn't notice that because she missed him, no, it was a keen observation from a police detective. That's her story and she's sticking to it.) she was reading her horoscope.

"Let's see, Libra." She muttered to herself as she opened up the paper and scanned the column, looking for her own sign.

"Ah, there it is."

She silently read the prediction and then reread it to make sure that she wasn't seeing things.

"You will receive a kiss, on the nearest Friday, from your true love"

That was quite possibly the strangest prediction she had ever gotten, barring the one about a certain man wearing a certain cereal t-shirt and she hadn't believed that one either. Well, at least she wasn't going to admit she had.

"O'Hara, you aren't reading that ridiculous crap again are you? It's bad enough Spencer is around all the damn time without you buying into that stuff when he isn't even around." Growled Lassiter from his seat behind the blonde detective, who threw him a withering look but folded up the newspaper anyway, knowing that she needed to work on her paperwork.

She pulled a folder from her ever growing in pile and set it on the desk in front of her. She started to flip through the preliminary reports, making sure that she had dotted every I and crossed every t. This was the one part of police work she didn't like and the one part that she wasn't so great at, she found herself being distracted quite a little bit by a certain psychic, which was exactly what was going to happen right now.

"Hey Jules!" Shawn bounded in from seemingly nowhere and she looked up at him and halfway through her smile she froze. He was wearing the Apple Jacks t-shirt and sneakers. Sometimes she really hated her addiction to horoscopes.

"Hello Shawn." Her answer was a bit more formal than it should have been, but she tried not to dwell on it.

"Rough day?" he asked her knowingly and she smiled at him softly.

"Just long." She replied, not knowing how he got her to smile when she felt like stabbing her own eyes out.

"Well, you know that best cure for a long day?" he asked her as he sat on the edge of her desk like some sexy secretary in a bad sitcom.

"No Shawn, what is it?" she asked him, letting him distract her for the moment.

"A nice long, hot, bath and some wine." He nodded wisely and she resisted the urge to moan at how wonderful that sounded.

"Sounds great Shawn, but I have work to do." She told him with a slightly regretful tone to her voice that he instantly picked up on.

"So finish early." He shrugged as though it were simple.

"I can't, these papers are already late, I need to have them done by tonight." She replied as she picked up the envelope she had been working on and started to review it again. Shawn placed a hand on the top of the folder and pulled it down so that she could see his pouting face; his bottom lip sticking out in the most adorable puppy dog look she had ever seen. She resisted the urge to smile at him.

"Skip out early Jules, make Lassie face do it. That's what I do to Gus."

Her lips were traitors for twitching at his joke and the earnest way in which he said it.

"Can't Shawn, I have to finish these."

He sighed dramatically and slid off her desk.

"I see how it is, you spend all this time at work, and you're distant and grumpy. There's someone else, isn't there?" he asked her like a bad melodramatic soap-opera actor.

"Shawn…" she couldn't resist the smile this time, he always knew how to make her feel better.

"No, don't," he placed a single finger against her lips and she wondered exactly when his touch made her tingle, "it's simply too painful."

He threw a hand over his heart and one over his forehead and staggered dramatically as though she had physically wounded him.

"Shawn."

"I must go, but first, I will steal your paper." And he reached out and snagged the section with the horoscopes from her desk before limping off in his own goofy way.

She watched him leave with an unreadable look on her face before smiling to herself and picking up the manila envelope for the third time and reviewing it once more.

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Shawn looked over the section of the paper that Jules had been reading while he was watching her from his place at the doorway and smiled at what he saw. It was her horoscope. And taking the information he had received while being the lead on the horoscopes for the food critic murder he scanned down the list looking for Jules' sign.

"Libra, Libra." He muttered to himself as he scanned the paper, walking down the steps to the police station with a practiced familiarity.

"You will receive a kiss on the nearest Friday, from your true love."

It was an oddly specific prediction, and he hadn't even made it up! But he could, however, use it to his advantage deliciously.

His lips curled into a devilishly handsome grin as he finished his walk down the stairs and threw a leg over his bike, sliding on his helmet. He knew exactly what he was going to do, and if it all went to plan, Jules would finally be his.

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Juliet sat at her desk, moving her chair from side to side without actually spinning. She was bored out of her mind. It was a Friday, she had finished all her paperwork, there were no new cases, and every ongoing investigation she had no part in, so there she was, a cop, in a police station, doing absolutely nothing.

"Hey Jules!" called Shawn as he bounded in and she turned to the sound of his voice, a smile appearing on her face as she saw him walk towards her, hoping that he would save her from her boredom.

"Hi Shawn." She greeted him as he came to sit on her desk once more, her very own personal sexy secretary.

"So I was thinking about the long day syndrome you seemed to be having lately and I found a solution that lets you stay here but still relax a bit more."

"Oh?" she raised one delicate eyebrow, wondering exactly what crazy scheme he had come up with this time and if she even really wanted to know what it was.

He continued to smile at her before pulling something small from the pocket on his shirt and holding it in the palm of his hand.

"What is it Shawn?" she asked, curious in spite of herself. He grinned at her, so very obviously pleased with himself.

"Hold out your hand Detective, and close your eyes."

She gave him an incredulous look that he readily returned and she sighed before doing as she was told.

"This isn't going to be gross, is it Shawn?" she asked him, her fingers curling to protect her palm on instinct.

"No, just hold your hand flat."

She did it with a small sigh, a little impatient. He gently set the small something into her hand and her brow furrowed as her eyes stayed closed.

"What is it Shawn?" she asked him.

"A kiss." He replied, but his voice sounded farther away.

Juliet slowly opened her eyes and looked down at the small, triangle shaped tin foil package in her hand. A Hershey's chocolate kiss.

"Shawn?" she asked and then she heard a very faint.

"Have a good weekend Jules."

It was Friday and there she was, sitting with a kiss. A kiss…a kiss from Shawn…a kiss from her true love.

She jumped up from her chair and ran after Shawn, catching up with him just at the bottom of the stairs.

"Shawn!" she called and he spun to meet her gaze, a small smile on his face.

"Yeah Jules?"

"That wasn't a real kiss." She scolded him and he raised an eyebrow quizzically at her.

"It wasn't?"

"No."

"Then what would you call a real kiss Detective?" he asked her with a slightly mocking tone but she just smiled.

"This." And she wrapped a hand around the base of his neck, pulling him down to her height and planting her lips over his.

Fireworks exploded and goose bumps erupted. Sometimes she really loved her addiction to horoscopes.

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Read and review babies.

Andrew's Slinky


	21. First Dates

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Hey guys, I am back. My Christmas was wonderful and I hope that yours was as well (or whatever holiday you celebrate) and I got the first season of Psych on DVD so now I am totally inspired on my Shules fic. And I hope you are all still with me. Here we go.

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Juliet was excited. Not, oh-my-goodness-I-am-about-to-go-on-Space-Mountain-for-the-first-time-excited but excited. She was going to go on a date for the first time in a long time. She had met Kyle on one of her days off in the park and they had hit it off. He was funny and interesting and smart, and she had instantly been attracted to him. He had dark hair and bright blue eyes and she was captivated every time she looked at him.

"Hello Juliet, are you ready?" he asked as he appeared at her door, dark jeans and a green polo adorning his frame.

"Hi, yeah." She replied distractedly. His polo reminded her of a certain, tall, dark, handsome, green eyed psychic that she knew and it was sending all sorts of butterflies and week-kneed messages to her body and she knew that it was wrong to be this affected by a man that she worked with when she was on a date with another man. A man that she liked perfectly fine and who was attractive, but he wasn't Shawn.

She gently swung into his car and they sat in silence as he drove down to a spot that Juliet recognized immediately and held a special place in her heart.

"This is a great little diner, I go here a lot." He told her as he parked the car in the parking lot and got out of the car, jogging around the hood to reach her door and open it for her.

"Yeah, I uh, I know this place, I come here a lot too, I can't believe I've never seen you." She replied with a soft smile, quickly regaining her footing and getting over the shock that the pair of them both frequented the diner where she had first met Shawn.

"Its odd isn't it?" he replied with a smile of his own and she nodded.

"Shall we?" she asked as they reached the door and he smiled down at her.

"Ladies first." He opened the door and held it for her as he swept his arm out in a gallant attempt to be gentlemanly. She found it sweet, and a little irritating. It made her think of Shawn and how, while he was hyper and annoying and incredibly distracting, he was a gentleman with her, most of the time, but he wasn't so over the top with it. He didn't treat her like an invalid, he treated her like a real human being with thoughts and feelings, but he was polite to her, treated her like an equal, with a special moment here or there. She liked Shawn's approach better, and wasn't it funny that she kept thinking of Shawn when she was on a date with another man?

"So how often do you come here?" he asked her when they had sat down in a booth towards the back.

"Oh at least once a week, I met a good friend of mine here and I guess this place just holds fond memories that's all." She knew that it was a lame explanation, but it was the truth and she felt that it was always best to go with the truth on a first date.

"Hmm, and I just like the breakfast food." He replied with a small chuckle that set her to giggling as well.

"Well, the breakfast food is amazing, definitely something to come here for." She agreed.

"Hi, my name is Diane and I will be your server today, what can I get for you?" their waitress came up and greeted them, a pad of paper and a pencil in her hand.

"Uh, I will have your breakfast special, with the bacon, and the lady will have the same." Replied Kyle before Juliet could even open her mouth and when Diane had left she gave her date a sharp look.

"I don't like bacon." She informed him and he smiled over at her.

"Don't worry, you'll love this." He told her as though it were an obvious answer and her look sharpened even more. She couldn't believe that this man was ordering for her when he didn't even know what she liked. Shawn would never do that.

"How could you possibly assume that I…?" she started but she was interrupted by the jingle of her phone.

"Excuse me." She told him as she pulled it out of the pocket of her jeans and flipped it open. It was a text message, from Shawn.

'Hey Jules, who's the stiff?'

She smiled at the question, and yet she was a little disturbed by it, where was he? She looked around the diner, but she didn't see her psychic friend anywhere.

'Where are you? And he's my date.'

She sent in reply to him, texting as quickly as she could.

"What was it?" Kyle asked her, leaning across the table to get a look at the screen of her phone. She quickly pulled it away from his prying eyes.

"Now that would be telling, wouldn't it?" she asked him coyly, trying to distract him as best she could.

"Well, I suppose it would be, but I'm only curious." He smiled and she found herself smiling back.

"Tell me something about yourself." She started, thinking that maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

"Well, my parents are still together, they live down in Miami, retired there. I have two younger sisters and an older brother. My youngest sister Annie lives in Aspen, she's a ski instructor, my other sister Martina lives in New York City, she's a dancer with the rockettes and my brother Anthony lives in Kansas City, he's a pharmaceutical director out there, and he's pretty successful. I was born here in Santa Barbara and I have never lived anywhere else. I am a personal trainer and…" he started, never taking a breath and she nodded in all the right places and smiled at the right times, but she wasn't really listening, and so when her phone vibrated in her hand, she took the time to look down at it as he babbled on, now looking out the window.

'Looks like a boring date.'

She smiled, then texted him back.

'It kinda is, but that isn't nice to say.'

Her phone vibrated a second time and she looked down at it and had to slap a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing aloud.

He had sent her a picture of himself, pursing his lips and rolling his eyes. He looked adorable.

She quickly looked up at her date only to see him standing up.

"Where're you going?" she asked him quickly, wondering if he had told her or not.

"Bathroom, I'll be right back." He told her as he left, not looking back.

She stared at him for a moment until he disappeared from sight and then picked her phone up and quickly took a picture of herself with a slightly scolding look on her face and then sent it to Shawn.

Just seconds later she received a text.

'R u scolding me, Jules?'

She giggled.

'Maybe a little.'

"Hey, I'm back." Interrupted Kyle but Juliet didn't even look up; Shawn had sent her another text.

'Why r u still on that date?'

'Cause it'd be rude 2 leave.' She responded, ignoring Kyle's attempts to get her attention.

'Jules, he's a stiff, come outside and see me.'

She smiled and shook her head.

"Should I leave you two alone?" asked Kyle, anger seeping into his voice as he looked at his date. She looked up in surprise and blushed a deep pink.

"I'm sorry, it's just, its work related and I needed to pay attention, were you saying something?" she replied, skipping over her rule of no lying and making up a fib off the top of her head.

"Should you leave?" he asked, his anger becoming concern.

Juliet quickly weighed her options. One, she could stay on this incredibly boring date with a guy she didn't even really like (even if he was cute) or two, she could get up, leave, pretend to make a date for later and then cancel at the last minute so that she could go and hang out with Shawn, just like his text asked her to do.

She didn't need to think about it.

"I should really get going." She started to stand up, grabbing her purse and Kyle stood up as though to follow her.

"Oh, no, its okay, my partner is coming to get me, here, let me chip in for brunch, I am so sorry about this." She started to pull out her wallet, but he held a hand up to stop her.

"Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it." He offered and she smiled.

"Thank you, really, and I am sorry about this."

He smiled at her and waved a hand as if to dismiss the subject, she smiled, thanked him again and walked quickly to the door, swinging it open and practically running out of the diner.

"Jules!" Shawn called to her; he had been sitting at a table set outside the diner, for fresco dining.

"Hey Shawn, take me out of here?" she asked and he smiled.

"You got it." He quickly jumped up, grabbing his bike helmet off the table before him and joining her.

"Where're we going?" he asked and she shrugged.

"Anywhere that isn't here, can you give me a ride?"

"Sure, I know just the place." He replied as he took her hand and led her over to his bike.

"Have you ever ridden before?" he asked her as he caught the look of apprehension on her face.

"Um, once, but I was twelve and my dad was driving, so he went really slow." She shrugged, her voice betraying her slight fear of the powerful metal before her.

"Don't worry, I am very experienced, this bike is my baby, or something equally as precious sounding and I'll be very careful." He replied and she grinned, knowing that he was being as serious as he possibly could be.

"Okay."

"Here, you have to wear this." He told her, holding his helmet out to her as he swung a leg over his beloved machine.

"Sure." She took the silver helmet from him and slid it over her head, tightening the strap under her chin. Shawn looked over his shoulder at her and smiled, she looked adorable in his helmet.

"C'mon." he gestured her over and she slowly slid a leg over the machine, securing herself in behind him and wrapping her arms around his leather clad waist. He smiled even wider to himself as her entire body molded into his back; her arms warm against his stomach.

"Hold on Jules." He called to her as he started the bike and then revved the engine. He peeled out of the parking lot and chuckled when Juliet screamed both in fear and in exhilaration. She now understood completely why Shawn enjoyed driving this thing. It was the most freeing experience that she had ever had.

He sped up a little more than necessary and her grip tightened on his waist considerably, she all of a sudden wasn't so comfortable. He smiled at her tightened grip and slowed his speed just a little before pulling a hand off the handles of his bike and laying it gently across her slightly shaking arms, rubbing the smooth skin of her arms and hands to soothe her.

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Shawn slowed down as he turned onto a dirt road, and Juliet was starting to wonder if maybe they were just lost until he slowed to a complete stop and turned off the engine.

"Where are we?" she asked as she pulled the helmet off of her, and ran her fingers through her hair to try and fluff it back up from its flattening experience under the helmet.

"My dad and I came camping up here once, its really beautiful, but watch out for the raccoons, they like to stalk people." He shuddered noticeably at the mention of the raccoon, but Juliet didn't mention it as he slid off his bike and held out a hand to help her down. She gladly took it, knowing that her balance was going to be off by quite a little bit and when she slid off the bike she was proven right, and even Shawn's hand wasn't enough to keep her completely balanced. She stumbled, running right into his leather clad chest and he grabbed her arms to steady her, letting her anchor herself against his body, his arms never leaving her until they were both sure that she was steady on her feet.

"Thanks." She murmured as she finally got her footing.

"Sure." He nodded, a smirk on his lips as he slowly let his hands slide from her arms down to her waist and over her hips before he pulled them back to his sides. Officially on cloud nine at the sight of her so affected by that simple touch and exchange.

"C'mon, lets see if its still here." He told her, his voice a little hyper as he took her hand and dragged her off towards the woods.

"See if what's still here?" she asked him and he looked over his shoulder with a smile.

"When Gus and I were seventeen we came up here and buried a time capsule." He told her and she smiled back at the excited tone of voice.

"Where'd you bury it?" she asked him and he stopped, her hand still planted firmly in his.

"I have no idea." He admitted and she laughed.

"Of course not."

He shrugged and took off in a different direction, dragging her along behind him.

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After several hours of searching they had finally found the time capsule and opened it. Inside were only three things: a slip of paper that read "Burton "Gus" Guster and Shawn H. Spencer present, The Amazing Capsule of Time, a rock that had a number carved into it that Shawn refused to divulge the meaning of, and a picture. It was Shawn and Gus, in their graduation gowns, wide smiles on their faces and promises of the future in their eyes. Juliet had never seen either of them so happy and she doubted that she ever would again.

"It's a good capsule Shawn." She told him as they shared a rock, their legs swinging over the edge of the large granite slab, Shawn's arms around Juliet's shoulders, her leaning into him, leaning over the picture to look at it.

"Well, it only makes sense to me and Gus." He replied with a shrug and she smiled up at him.

"That's what makes it special."

He grinned at her, knowing now in his head what he had always known in his heart. She was perfect for him.

"You really are something else, Jules." He told her and she blushed a bit, ducking her head in embarrassment.

"Hey." He hooked two fingers under her chin and brought her face up to look at him, their breath mingling in the centimeters that separated their lips.

"You don't have to be embarrassed."

She just smiled and he leaned in just a fraction of a centimeter and when she didn't pull away he closed the space, their lips touching softly, gently for just a few seconds before he pulled back.

"Sorry." She had leaned in, but he still felt as though maybe she didn't want it, at least not like he wanted it.

"About what, I would have kissed you back if you hadn't pulled away." She replied and he gave her a crooked half-smile before leaning back in and capturing her lips for a second time.

Who would have guessed that a diner could bring people together?


	22. Candy Beaches

It was Juliet's day off and she was out and about, just walking down the beach now that all her shopping and errands were done. She was playing with the candy necklace that her nephew Isaac had given her on Easter just two days before, declaring as he handed it to her that he was a boy and candy necklaces were for girls. She hadn't had a candy necklace since she was little, and she was enjoying it, she only had a few pieces left and even though she knew that she looked ridiculous as a twenty-eight year old police detective wearing a candy necklace and a fuchsia sun dress; she didn't care. She was at peace, walking along the beach, her heels in her hands, squishing her toes in the warm sand.

"Jules!"

Juliet spun on her heels at the sound of her name and smiled when she saw Shawn running towards her, a wide smile on his face.

"Hey Shawn." She replied when he reached her, his own tennis shoes in his hand and his pants rolled up to mid-calf length.

"Day off?" he asked her as he joined her walk.

"Yeah, what about you? Where's Gus?" she asked and he shrugged.

"Some sort of convention or camp or something ridiculous like that." He told her and she nodded in understanding.

"So you have nothing to do?" she asked and he smiled down at her.

"Well, I'm with you now, so I think this day has been rather productive."

She blushed and smiled, she didn't know how Shawn did it, but he always managed to make her feel special, like she was the only one in the room even when there were hundreds of people around them.

"What about you?" he asked as they entered a part of the beach where there seemed to be no one.

"I went shopping, and ran errands and now I am walking along the beach, smoothing my feet. My mother always said that if you could walk along a beach and had a steady hand with the nail polish there was never any need to pay for a pedicure." She explained and he smiled at her, enjoying her and her family's odd quirks and sayings.

"So is that what you plan on doing when you get back home, painting your nails?" he asked her and she nodded.

"Yep, and then taking a nice long bath and getting a lot of sleep before going in to work tomorrow."

"Sounds like a very relaxing evening." He replied as he reached out and brushed her arm softly.

"Yeah, it should be." She nodded, her voice becoming softer and losing some of the confidence that she seemed to hold within herself.

"What are you up to?" she asked him and he smiled at her.

"Walking along a beach with a beautiful woman." He shrugged before looking away from her and out at the ocean.

Juliet blushed and ducked her head in slight embarrassment; she didn't know why Shawn saying things like that affected her so. She had been told that she was beautiful before, by several different men that weren't relatives, but when Shawn said it, it made her feel like she was the only beautiful woman in the entire world.

"I meant after this." She corrected him and he gave her a rogue grin.

"Hopefully I will be going home with a beautiful woman, I'm sensing, baby oil." He replied in mock seriousness, holding his fingers up to his temple in his classic, "sensing" pose.

Juliet stared at him, and when he looked down at her she scoffed and rolled her eyes, speeding up her pace a bit to get ahead of him.

"Jules! C'mon, I was joking, unless you're sensing baby oil too." He called to her as he jogged to reach her.

"Shawn." She was exasperated with his antics and he quickly backpedaled, he didn't want her to leave.

"I'm sorry Jules, I couldn't resist. I'm probably just going to go home and play with my Nintendo DS, I can't seem to beat the fifteenth level." He shrugged and he smiled as he saw her shoulders relax.

"Sounds like a frustrating evening."

"Oh, I like them that way." He joked and she giggled.

"I'll bet you do." She turned towards him a little more fully and he caught sight of her necklace.

"Are you wearing a candy necklace?" he asked her, quirking an eyebrow in question.

"My nephew gave it to me, he's in that phase where anything even remotely girly offends him." She defended herself, explaining why she was twenty-eight and wearing a candy necklace.

"Can I have a piece?" he asked her and she chuckled; apparently she wasn't the only one who had an affinity for candy.

"Sure Shawn." And she reached up to her neck to slip it off over her head when he swooped in unexpectedly; his lips were only millimeters from her neck, and his warm breath was sending shivers down her spine. He bit off a piece of the candy, letting his lips graze her neck for a moment before pulling away and she gasped at the feeling, and at the balls he had for swooping in like he had.

"Shawn." She tried to sound scolding, but she was a little too flustered to master it.

He just smiled at her as he chewed a little thoughtfully and then when he had swallowed he opened his mouth to explain.

"It tastes better when it's still around someone's neck." He shrugged as though it was the most obvious answer in the world and she just stared at him as though he had grown another few heads.

"Shawn, you could have bitten me." She told him matter-of-factly and he grinned devilishly at her.

"Is that a request Detective? Who knew you were into that kind of thing."

She opened her mouth to correct him when he swooped in for a second time and gave her neck the lightest nip with his blunt, ivory teeth, and she could feel every single muscle in her body go lax, her neck had always been a weak spot.

"Shawn." His name was gasped this time, barely escaping her lips and he wrapped an arm around her waist to help steady her, because all of a sudden her knees felt very weak.

"Yes Juliet?" he asked as he pulled her close.

"Didn't we talk about mistakes?" she asked as she inhaled the delicious scent of his cologne.

"Yes we did, but that was about kissing Jules, and this is clearly very different." He reminded her, pulling her even tighter against him and before she even realized what she was doing, she was resting her head against his chest.

"Clearly." Was the only thing that she could think to say in response to him and she wasn't so sure if it had come out as sarcastically as she had intended.

"I always thought that it would be a mistake worth making." He told her and she could feel his heart race beneath her cheek.

"Shawn…"

"It would be worth making because I'm making it with you." He told her, and then he instantly winced, that had sounded so Lifetime movie that it made him slightly sick to his stomach.

"Shawn." She giggled a bit this time and he smiled, at least he could make her laugh when he was opening his heart to her.

"Yes Juliet?" he dropped the affectionate nickname as he stepped away from her, making her stand on her own two feet.

Juliet was a little confused when he stepped away from her, he had started the whole thing after all, but then she saw it. The vulnerability in his dark green eyes and the hurt in them as well. He had been serious.

"Shawn." She reached out for him but he didn't mimic the gesture. So she took a very wide step forward and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, yanking him forward, letting their lips crash together in the sweetest, roughest, most passionate, loving kiss of her life.

If he could reveal his heart to her, then she could reveal her heart to him, and even if this was a life-changing mistake, she knew that it was going to be okay because she was making it with him.

When they finally pulled apart, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his embrace.

"Does this mean you're sensing baby oil too?" he teased and she giggled before matching his gaze.

"That depends on how well behaved you are." She told him as she traced a patter on the exposed skin of his neck and he gave her a surprised look. She smiled and then the smile turned to laughter when he bent down and swept her into his arms, swinging her around for a moment.

"Define well behaved." He told her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She just smiled and leaned into him, capturing his lips for a second time.

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Just some notes, uh, I was watching my DVD of the first season and noticed that Shawn's eyes are really a dark green that change depending on what color shirt he has on and it occurred to me that in all my previous Shules chapters I have given him brown eyes. Not a huge mistake, but a mistake, and I apologize for it. Also, I wasn't sure if Jules' nephew's name was Isaac, I know they told us in the X-Mas special, but I couldn't remember if Isaac was right, but it stuck out in my head so that was what I used.

As always, read and review babies.

Andrew's Slinky


	23. Scars

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"Ow!" was shout heard from Junior Detective Juliet O'Hara's shower as she shaved. She couldn't believe that she had nicked herself, again. Her ankle looked like someone had come at her with a meat cleaver or something. Somehow she always managed to cut herself shaving, it was always an ankle or a knee and she didn't know how she did it, her hands were usually so steady.

"Jules, you okay?" Shawn called through the door, the concern in his voice palpable and Juliet smiled. She and Shawn had only been together a month and he was already an almost permanent fixture in her apartment; they had been taking it slow, per to her request, but he would drop in and cook dinner for her, or they'd watch a movie, or sometimes they'd just sit and talk. Today had been a movie date, and he had come over early to cook dinner for them before they popped in the movie and unwound for the day.

"Yeah, yeah I'm okay." She called back as she rinsed her ankle and then turned off the shower, glad that it had been the last stroke of the razor and she didn't have to go through a whole shower with a bloody, and throbbing, ankle.

She stepped out of the shower and quickly dried off, pulled her hair back and into a messy bun, then got dressed in a loose pair of lounge pants and her lucky beater (that she had stolen from Shawn, then shrunk in the washing machine)

She left the bathroom with a damp washcloth in her hand and then headed towards the kitchen where the first aid kit was.

"Hi baby." Greeted Shawn as he leaned down and kissed his girlfriend.

"Hi Shawn." She murmured against his lips as she took a step forward and hugged him, snuggling into his warm and muscular chest.

"What happened in there?" asked Shawn as she pulled away and bent down to get the kit out from under the sink.

"Just cut myself shaving, it isn't a big deal." She replied with a shrug as she pulled out the bandages and sat on the couch in the adjacent living room, still in full view of her now concerned boyfriend.

"Are you okay?" he asked as she pulled the leg of her lounge pants up and started dabbing at the blood with her damp cloth.

"Yeah, I do this all the time, it's always either a knee or an ankle." She sighed and then hissed in slight pain when she brushed against the open wound with too much force.

"Here, let me help." Offered Shawn as he bent down to the kit, pulled out a tube of Neosporin and walked over to his girlfriend.

"Its okay Shawn, I don't need Neosporin, its just a little nick." She replied, waving away his concern with a hand as she continued to try and stem the bleeding.

"A little nick that hasn't stopped bleeding since you got out here." He replied as he gently took the cloth away from her and started to clean the wound.

"Shawn, really it isn't that bad, I've had much worse, and…" she slowly drifted off as his free hand started to make lazy circles on her thigh and she lost her train of thought.

"This is going to sting, okay?" he warned her as he pulled the cap off the Neosporin and dabbed a bit on his finger.

"Okay." She nodded as she closed her eyes and he gently swiped the white lotion onto the cut.

"Ouch." She hissed as the stinging started and then she felt a gentle stream of air against her ankle and the stinging dulled. She opened her eyes to find Shawn gently blowing on her wound, his free hand still making lazy circles on her skin.

"Thank you."

"It always worked for me when my mom did that." He shrugged as he put the cap back on the Neosporin bottle.

"Did she have to do this a lot?" asked Juliet as Shawn placed a bandage over her cut.

"Yeah, Gus and I were always doing crazy things. Once when I was eight, I was skateboarding in front of the house, and I took a pretty nasty tumble, I landed on a broken beer bottle, cut my knee open pretty bad." He explained as he picked his leg up and set it onto the couch next to his blonde girlfriend and rolled up his pant leg to show her the brown scar.

"My mom cleaned it and put Neosporin on it, but I still had to get four stitches." He bragged and she smiled.

"I can beat that. When I was younger, my brother James and a couple of the kids that lived on our street started this competition. Well, it was to see who could do the craziest, most dangerous things and live to tell about it. I was eleven and there was a hill by my house that was always covered in these really thorny bushes and I still have no idea what they were, but man, these thorns were huge. And my brother dared me that I couldn't run down that hill in a pair of shorts. Well, I was eleven, my brother and all the neighborhood kids were older, and I wanted to prove to them that I was cool. So I did it. And I got the nastiest cut on the back of my knee, and then I couldn't tell my mother what had happened, because she wouldn't let me play with the boys anymore so I kept it a secret and it got infected and I had to go to the hospital, but I got a pretty wicked scar." And she picked her leg up, rolling up her pants to show him the blood red scar that ran the length of the back of her knee and down a bit onto her calf.

"Wow." He exclaimed softly as he reached out and ran a finger along the path, sending delicious shivers along his girlfriend's back.

"Beat that one."

"Oh, I can beat it. When I was eighteen, I was driving my dad's car and I crashed it right into a tree. I went through the windshield and into the actual tree. Broke my arm, beat my knee up, had to have surgery on my shoulder, and now there's an ugly scar." He unbuttoned his shirt halfway and pulled it off his shoulder to reveal a slightly raised, light brown scar that curved along the path of his shoulder.

"Oh Shawn." Gasped Juliet as she scooted closer to him on the couch and ran her fingers along the scar. Shawn shivered before pulling his shirt back up.

"If you can beat that, then you win, because that's the nastiest scar I have."

"I can beat that. I was fifteen, and my brother decided that it'd be a good idea to have a slumber party in the local cemetery. Well, all the neighborhood kids had to come too, and we were all out there, without our parents knowledge and then the newest girl, Sarah, who was my age, started freaking out because we were on top of dead people. Well, that started to freak everybody else out, and we decided to leave, but the gates were locked, and they wouldn't be opened till six the next morning. We were all too freaked out to stay, so my brother said we should climb the gate, and swing over. It wasn't that tall, so we decided that it was a good plan. James went first then the rest of the boys and then Sarah, and I was last. I was at the top of the gate, when one of the boys bumped it accidentally. I fell, and speared myself on the top of one of the spikes on this gate. Well, I flipped over the side, ripped my stomach open, and landed, flat on my back in the mud on the other side. I was out for a good three minutes and everyone ran, thinking I was dead, except for James. He waited till I woke up and then helped me home. Well, I couldn't go telling my parents what had happened, it'd rat out the whole neighborhood so I kept quiet. Put a hell of a lot of bandages on it, and some peroxide and waited for it to heal."

"Jules, you could have gotten an infection, you could have had a concussion from the fall, you could have died!" broke in Shawn angrily and she gave him a soft smile.

"Well I know that now, but I was fifteen and scared, and it worked out okay." She replied soothingly as she pulled up the hem of her shirt and pulled down the waistband of her pants, revealing a dark brown, raised, scar that ran from just an inch or two above her bellybutton all the way down a curved path to the top of her panties, and down a little past.

"Jesus." Breathed Shawn as he scooted closer, running his hands down the scar and Juliet shivered noticeably before fixing her clothes.

"Jules, I can't believe you waited for that to heal, you could have had internal damage!" he was angry with her and while she didn't know why, he did. He was angry that she would be so stupid as to not go to the doctor when she had practically ripped herself all the way open. He was angry that she wouldn't tell her parents what had happened and he was angry that she could have died. He knew that then he would never have met her and he didn't even want to think about a life without Juliet.

He reached out, and wrapped a strong arm around her waist, dragging her onto his lap, and hugged her close to his chest, her head tucked beneath his chin, her arms pinned between them.

"Shawn, I'm okay now, it's just a scar."

He didn't respond, he merely hugged her tighter and she smiled as she snuggled into the warm and welcomed embrace.

"Do you smell that?" he asked her just a few seconds later and she sniffed the air before making a face.

"What is that is something burning?"

"Dinner!" yelped Shawn as he quickly shifted his girlfriend to the couch and leapt from it and into the kitchen just in time to pull his stir-fry off the stove as black smoke wafted from the pan.

"Damn." He swore as he dropped the pan in the sink.

"Is it ruined?" Juliet asked as she entered the kitchen and wrapped her arms around her boyfriend from behind.

"I'm afraid so." He replied with a defeated sigh as he turned the water on to try and save the pan.

"Pizza okay?" she asked as she left his side and pulled the phone off the hook.

"Pizza sounds good, sausage on mine?"

"You got it." she called back as she started to dial the number.

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An hour and a whole large pizza later, the pair were curled up on the couch, Shawn's arm around Juliet's shoulders, and her head resting against his chest, both of them fast asleep.

They loved each other, scars and all.

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	24. Reunion

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"You can do this Juliet, you can, just go in there and ask him, it isn't that hard. It's just a favor between friends, you'd do the same for him."

Junior Detective Juliet O'Hara had been trying to talk herself into going into the Psych office for a good twenty minutes and she had yet to even leave her car. She knew that being afraid was stupid. Shawn was her friend and he would want to help her, besides, it wasn't like she was asking him to marry her, not really anyway. She just needed his help to get through a single evening, and that was all. She didn't need to get so worked up over it, she just needed to go in there and get it over with before she changed her mind.

So with a deep breath she opened her car door and got out, straightened her suit and walked with her head held high across the street to the Psych office.

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"She's finally coming over." Announced Shawn as he let the blinds to the Psych office fall back over the window.

"Well its about time, she's been sitting in her car for at least twenty minutes." Replied Gus as he played on the computer.

"Wonder why she's so nervous." Murmured Shawn to himself as he pondered the beautiful Detective O'Hara. He had a crush on her that he was not going to deny, even if he tried to, Gus would never let him, he knew Shawn too well to let him get away with such a blatant lie.

"She probably just has a case for us." Shrugged Gus, answering the question that wasn't directed at him.

"Gus, if she had a case then she'd come right in and tell us, she isn't nervous about work, it has to be something personal, some sort of favor probably." Replied Shawn as he looked back out the window to see the lovely blonde Detective debating with herself just outside on the sidewalk.

"See, she's talking to herself, she has to ask us something she doesn't really want to, or doesn't know how to."

"How do you know that?"

"Its what I do when I have to ask my Dad for a favor." Shrugged Shawn in response.

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"Okay Juliet, it is a simple favor between friends, just ask him, and he'll answer and it'll be over with, just do it." She took another deep breath and swung open the door to the Psych office and entered without a knock or a hello.

"Hey Jules." Greeted Shawn as he saw the blonde beauty enter the office, sending his heart into leaps.

"Hi Shawn." She replied with a little sigh, her nervousness coming back full swing now that she saw Shawn standing before her, in the shirt that she loved him in. His blue and white striped button up that just looked so good on him.

"What's up?" he asked her, noticing her hands were empty; she didn't have a case for them.

"Um, I have a little favor to ask." She replied, starting to feel like she was back in middle school and talking to the most popular boy in school.

"Sure." He replied quickly, all too ready to help her out, a thought that made her smile.

"Uh, my ten year high school reunion is this Saturday, and its being held here in Santa Barbara, and I was wondering if you'd come with me." She let it all out in a rush.

"With you, like on a date?" he asked her, a small smirk on his lips at the thought and she blushed a bit, struggling with the next part.

"Well, yes and no."

"Yes and no? Jules, don't you usually have to choose between the two?"

"You'd be my date, but it isn't a date, does that even make any sense?" she asked him, her confidence flying out the window.

"Yeah, you want other people to think that we're together but we won't really be together."

"Yes, no, I mean…" she trailed off, pinching the bridge of her nose in slight exasperation.

"What I mean is, is that there will be people there that I cannot stand, people that would do anything to beat me at anything."

"Head cheerleader?" he asked her knowingly and she smiled.

"Yeah, her name is Annette Sweeney, and she was the nastiest girl in my school. Head cheerleader, was dating the varsity quarterback, had her daddy's gold car with her at all times, you know the type. Well, she hated me, because when I transferred in my sophomore year we were rivals on the cheering squad. She beat me out for head, but it was a close margin and ever since she has had to beat me at everything. Well, I just know she'll be married with her perfect 2.5 kids and her huge house and her sports cars and…Oh! I just hated her so much and I cannot stand the thought of the two of us being at the reunion and her rubbing in my face her perfect life and then pointing out the fact that I am twenty-eight, have never been married, and live alone with two cats and my gun!"

"So you want me to come as your boyfriend?" he asked her and she sighed as she sat down on the couch next to him.

"No, more like, husband."

"Husband?" he asked her incredulously as he turned to look at her, but she wouldn't return the favor.

"Yeah, I just, I need to be able to show her that I have a good life."

"Jules, you do have a good life. You are a Detective with the Santa Barbara Police Department, you save lives on a daily basis, you give family's closure. And you have great friends, me, Gus, heck even Lassie. You have a great life Jules, don't let her make you feel inferior when you aren't."

"Shawn you are really sweet, but I need this. Please?" she begged him, turning her wide blue gaze onto him and sticking her bottom lip out in a puppy face and he instantly melted.

"Okay, I'll go, as your husband."

"Oh thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed as she gave him a hug that he gladly returned.

"You're welcome." He replied as he inhaled the citrus-y scent of her shampoo.

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The single evening that she had been dreading for the past two weeks had finally arrived and she was nervous. She had changed her outfit at least eight times and she still wasn't satisfied with what she was wearing. She had started with a pair of nice jeans and a blouse but then decided it was too casual, a cocktail dress was too fancy, a sundress too bohemian, and her suits that she wore to work were too stuffy and cold. She had absolutely nothing in her closet for this event and it was driving her mad. She knew that Shawn must be bored, waiting out in her living room for her.

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Shawn wasn't bored, actually, he was intrigued. He was currently flipping through a photo album of Juliet's that contained pictures of what he could only assume was her family. It was her, and her brother and her parents, then her brother and his wife, her nephews, her grandparents, and on the very last page was a photo that had been taken only a month earlier. It was Juliet, standing between him and Gus, a wide grin on her face as his arm was around her shoulders and Gus pulled a face at the camera. It was the company picnic that Gus' job had thrown, and that Gus had dragged him along to, and he naturally had called upon Juliet to join them. It had been a very pleasant day all in all and it made all sorts of warm and fuzzy feelings invade his insides when he realized that she had placed Gus and himself on the same level as her blood relatives.

"Jules, are you coming out anytime soon?" he called down the hall towards her bedroom as he stood and replaced the book where he had originally found it.

"I have nothing to wear!" she shouted back, her voice holding exasperation and Shawn rolled his eyes, being all too familiar with that phrase.

"I'm coming in!" he called as he reached her door, giving her fair warning to get dressed or not.

He entered her bedroom and smiled at the soft colors and the mountains of clothes piled onto her four-poster bed. Juliet herself was standing in her closet, hands on her hips and a soft, white sweater on, along with a pair of slacks.

"What's wrong with what you have on?" he asked her, thinking that she looked adorable.

"It just isn't right. I can't wear a dress, too fancy, I can't wear jeans, too casual, and I can't wear anything in this closet, none of it is right!" she replied, her voice two pitches higher than normal and she sounded on the verge of tears.

"Its okay, we'll find something." He soothed, reaching out and placing his hands on her shoulders, squeezing gently. She sighed but nodded anyway, melting back a few steps until she bumped into his chest. He slowly wrapped his arms around her middle and hugged her close, his chin coming to rest on her shoulder as he eyed her closet critically.

"Jeans too casual." He repeated and she nodded.

"Dress too dressy." She nodded again.

"And a suit?" he let that one trail off and she groaned.

"Its too stuffy, too corporate." She replied and he nodded this time, blowing out some air as he thought.

"Well, personally, I'd prefer you in that sexy black dress right there, speaking as your husband, but since you think its too dressy lets go with…" and he let himself trail off as he grabbed a few items from her closet and then handed them to her, shoving her towards her bathroom.

"But Shawn." She tried to protest but he wasn't hearing it.

"Go Jules, trust me."

She sent him a look that told him she wasn't so sure, but entered her bathroom anyway as he turned to the mess on her bed and started to place everything back into her mess of a closet.

A few minutes later, the clothes were put away, Shawn was lying on Jules' bed and Juliet herself was stepping hesitantly out of the bathroom.

"What d'you think?" she asked him, slowly spreading her arms and spinning to let him get a full view.

"Wow." He breathed as he caught sight of her. He knew that he could dress people, but damn. Juliet looked good enough to eat.

"You don't think this is too much Shawn?" she asked him, biting down on her bottom lip and he smiled at her. She was wearing a slightly off the shoulder deep gray-blue sweater that matched her eyes, a nice black A-line skirt, and a pair of cute, but strappy, kitten heels. Her eye makeup was a little heavier than she usually wore and her lips held evidence of a shiny nude gloss, and Shawn had the sudden urge to pull her onto the bed with him and never let her go.

"Juliet, you look wonderful." He told her sincerely as he stood and took her hands in his, looking her directly in the eye. She smiled at him and blushed a bit at the compliment.

"Thank you, we should get going."

He nodded and let her lead him out of the bedroom, their hands still firmly clasped together.

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"I didn't think I'd be this nervous." Juliet admitted as she and Shawn walked into the reunion, hand in hand.

"Don't be nervous, you look wonderful, and you have a great life." He reminded her gently, his breath grazing her ear and neck, sending shivers down her spine and causing goose bumps to erupt over her skin.

"Juliet?" a soft, feminine voice carried over the din of the rest of the chatter and Jules spun around to find the one person in the entire reunion (minus the gorgeous guy on her arm) that could make her laugh and feel good, her best friend April.

"April, look at you!" she greeted, letting go of Shawn's hand to hug her best friend.

"I know, look at you! And you're fine piece of man candy." Replied April, the second sentence coming out a little slower as she caught sight of Shawn and the soft grin that he held at seeing Juliet perk up so much.

"Oh, uh April, this is Shawn, he's my husband." Introduced Juliet and Shawn reached forward to shake April's hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Jules has told me a lot about you." He greeted her, and it was the truth, Jules had filled him in on quite a few people, including April, plus he could divine anything else from his special gift.

"Well she hasn't told me anything about you, Juliet you didn't even tell me you were getting married!" April sounded a bit hurt and it deflated Juliet's happy demeanor, something Shawn needed to fix.

"We eloped, very last minute, spontaneous decision. We didn't even tell our parents until it was over." He chuckled as a cover and Juliet sent him a sweet smile that clearly said "thank you."

"Well that does sound like Juliet, always off doing something crazy." Giggled April and Shawn quirked an eyebrow.

"Really? She never told me anything about her high school spontaneity." He raised an eyebrow at his "wife" this time and she had the good graces to look abashed.

"Oh honey, its just some crazy teenage stuff." She shrugged as she reached out and ran a hand down his arm in an affectionate manner.

"You'll have to tell me later." He whispered in her ear as he pulled her close, her hands resting on his chest to give her a bit of leverage and some space.

"Okay, but its really boring." She replied with a small eye roll that he sent an offended look in response to.

"Uh-oh, bitch in white, ten o'clock." Sing-songed April before taking a sip of her champagne. Both Juliet and Shawn spun to where she had indicated and the former could feel her heart drop to her toes. Making a straight beeline for her, husband in tow, was none other than Annette Sweeney, a sickly sweet smile on her face, and a white pantsuit adorning her frame.

"Oh great." Muttered Juliet as she stood there, Shawn's hands on her hips, his chest pressed against her back, and his chin on her shoulder, whispering soothing comforts in her ear.

"It's going to be okay Jules, I'm here, I'll be here."

"Juliet." Greeted Annette, her voice sickly sweet as she opened her arms as though to hug the blonde detective, who stayed, planted firmly in Shawn's embrace.

"Hello Annette." She replied somewhat coldly, but with a softer lilt to her voice.

"It is so great to see you again, Juliet. Really, you look good, I mean, for you. You know Paul Washington, varsity quarterback, we're married now." Her voice seemed sweet but it was obvious to everyone within a seventy-foot radius that she said these things to be vicious and to try and undermine Juliet's self-confidence, something that made Shawn angry.

"Hello Annette, I've heard so much about you. I'm Shawn, Jules' husband." He introduced himself, making sure to pull Juliet more firmly into his arms, giving her the reassurance she needed.

"Its nice to see you too Annette, and I do remember Paul." That was all Juliet could get out without losing the nice tone that she had forced on her own vocal chords.

"Who would have thought, our own Juliet O'Hara, married?" Annette sounded genuinely surprised.

"Well, he's a charmer, swept me right off my feet." Replied Jules without missing a beat, her voice stronger now.

"Oh, I think it was the other way around, sweetie, I chased you for quite a while." Broke in Shawn, grasping Juliet's left hand, fingering the ring that she had chosen from her jewelry box to use as her wedding ring and the ring that he had placed on her finger.

"Shawn, you didn't chase me for months." She scolded, melting into his embrace and grasping his hand firmly for support.

"Yes, I believe I did, how long did we work together before you finally agreed to go out with me?" he asked her, enjoying making her squirm just a little bit, completely forgetting that Annette was even standing there, watching the exchange.

"Oh lets see, you and I worked together…" she was quickly doing the calculating in her head, wanting to make sure that it all made sense, because she still remembered Annette's presence.

"We worked together for about six months before I agreed to go out with you."

Shawn smiled, it had already been over a year, but he wouldn't be picky, he quickly matched her math in his head so he knew where he was, and then leaned in and kissed her neck.

"Of course, which is several months." He told her, raising his voice level just a bit to cover the gasp that had escaped her lips at his bold move.

"Of course, I guess I shouldn't argue about things like that." She conceded and he gave her a surprised look.

"I think I just won that argument." She didn't reply. "I did, I just won that argument."

She hated her lips for finding that funny.

"C'mon Jules, lets go dance." He grabbed her hand again and led her off towards the dance floor, tossing a wave over his shoulder.

"Nice to meet you April, Annette, Paul."

He led the blonde on his arm onto the dance floor and then spun her around to face him, pulling her body close as a slow song started.

"Why'd you drag me away?" she asked as they started to sway to the music and he smiled down at her.

"That gasp almost blew our cover." He replied with a wicked grin.

"Well, you shouldn't have kissed my neck." She replied, unsure if that was even something she was angry about.

"I just took a golden opportunity." He shrugged as her left arm moved from its place resting on his chest, keeping them apart, to wind around his waist, her head coming to rest on his chest.

He smiled down at his "wife" and slowly moved the hand he was holding up to rest on his shoulder as his arms wound their way around her, pulling her tightly against him as they swayed to the music playing through the speakers and pulsing through the floor.

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"They are very cute together." Murmured Paul to Annette just a few minutes later as the pair stood by the refreshment table. Shawn stopped in his movement of getting a glass of punch for Jules when he heard that.

"I guess, that Shawn is quite the looker, but I don't believe it, I mean, there was no wedding announcement, no engagement announcement, and that ring. It looked like something that came from her jewelry box. Pretty yes, but a wedding ring? Definitely not." Replied Annette with spite and Shawn felt his blood boil at the audacity this woman had, to put down his beloved Jules when she wasn't even there to defend herself.

"Maybe they just aren't that rich, c'mon Annette, this isn't high school, she's happy, anyone with eyes can see that, just let her be." Pleaded Paul, a tiredness to his voice that told Shawn exactly what had been apparent from their very first meeting. Annette was a nasty person who was so insecure about her own life that she needed to put other people down to feel good about herself, and she did it a lot.

"I just don't buy it. I mean, it's been ten years and not a thing about this Shawn character."

Shawn finished pouring his glass of punch and grabbed Jules' cup before heading back to his wife, but not before making a pit stop first.

"Annette." He greeted with fake cheer in his voice and Annette returned the fake smile heartily.

"Hello Shawn."

"Listen, I just needed to let you know something." He told her, not losing the pep in his voice and Annette smiled and nodded as though she were in for a treat. Shawn stood in front of her, his back straight and a harsh fire in his dark green eyes.

"I love Juliet, with everything in my heart, and I do my best to make her happy, and I think that she is. She is a wonderful, beautiful person who loves the people around her so much that she puts her life on the line for them everyday as a police officer for the Santa Barbara Police Department. She chose me, out of all the other people in the world, she chose me. Chose to love me, and that alone makes her the most beautiful person on the planet. I don't want to hear you say anything hurtful about my wife again because you are an ugly person and so dissatisfied with your own life that you have to tear apart other people's. So, fair warning, stay away from my wife."

He sent her a sickly sweet smile before turning on his heel and walking right back to Jules.

"Hey Shawn." She greeted him as he handed her the glass of red liquid, "Thanks, I am dying of thirst. What were you and Annette talking about?"

"Oh nothing, you ready to get out of here, or do you want to stay and talk for a little while longer?" he asked as he nodded in hello to April.

"Uh, you know what, I'm kind of beat, I think I'd like to go." She replied and he nodded, placing a warm hand on the small of her back.

"Sure, I'll go get our coats." He leaned in and kissed her cheek gently before leaving her and April to talk as he got the coats.

"I don't know where you found him Juliet, but hold onto him as tightly as you can." Sighed April as she watched Shawn walk away.

"He's something, isn't he?" replied Jules with a wide smile splitting her face, glad that she had brought along Shawn for support.

"Hell yes, I have never seen you smile so much in my life."

"What?"

"That goofy, giddy, schoolgirl smile has not left your face all night. And the fact that the two of you have been married a year now and you're still that affectionate, I mean, you look like newly weds."

Juliet smiled and blushed a bit; she and Shawn had been rather affectionate.

"Besides, if you can find a man that makes you laugh, smile, and sigh, all for different yet equally good reasons, you should dig your claws into him and never let him go. He loves you, anyone can see that, and you love him, its obvious."

That stopped Juliet right in her tracks, as Shawn appeared again, their coats in hand. Love? She had never really thought of her and Shawn as being in love. Lust maybe, but not love. She was attracted to him, that she would not deny, and he was attracted to her, something he made obvious at every opportunity, and yet, she had never really thought of them in that way. Maybe it deserved a second look.

Shawn was smart, funny, passionate, and sweet. He made her laugh, smile, and sigh all for different yet equally good reasons, and he had been the first person on her list to ask to do this favor. She…she had…she had feelings for him, what the feelings were she wasn't so sure as of yet, but they were there, and they were strong.

"You ready?" asked Shawn as he wrapped her coat around her shoulders and then offered his hand to her. She smiled up at him as she slid her arms into her jacket before sliding her hand into his, letting him lead her out into the cool night air.

"Yeah, I'm ready, for everything."

He never did reply to that remark, and as the pair of them drove home in a comfortable silence, it occurred to Juliet. Love. Maybe it wasn't something that was so far-fetched after all.


	25. Reunion: Part Deux

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Okay, so I got a few reviews asking me to continue the last chapter. I personally like it where it ends, you know, Jules figuring out her feelings and all, but since you asked, I will do my best to give, this chapter won't be very long, but it is the good-night scene when Shawn drops Juliet back off at her place.

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The drive back to her apartment had been silent, but comfortable silence that could only be achieved between good friends. Juliet smiled to herself as Shawn got out on his side and quickly ran around the car to open her door for her, taking her hand to help her out of the car.

"Thanks." She murmured as he helped her, his touch sending shivers down her spine.

"For what?" he asked her as they walked, hand in hand, back up to her door.

"For tonight, you were great." She replied, a soft pink tingeing her cheeks as they walked up the final three steps.

"Well, you're easy to be married to, I obviously married way out of my league." He teased her and she giggled, her grip on his hand tightening even though they had reached her door.

"You aren't so bad yourself." She admitted, looking away as they stood in front of her door, her back to it, holding hands.

"Goodnight Jules." He leaned in and kissed her cheek gently, knowing that he was pushing his luck since they weren't in public anymore, but being affectionate with Juliet had come so easily to him the entire night that it was difficult to stop treating her like they really were married.

"Goodnight Shawn." She breathed once he had pulled away. And all though the good nights had been said, neither one of them moved, something the both of them noticed.

"Shawn?" she asked once they both realized that something more had to be said.

"Yeah Jules?" he answered, his voice barely above a whisper as she tugged on his hand, making him take a step closer to her.

"I like being married to you." She admitted, their eyes locking and he smiled down at her.

"I like being married to you."

They both smiled a bit awkwardly, Shawn shuffled his feet and Juliet cleared her throat, but their hands stayed intertwined.

"Can I kiss you?" Shawn asked out of the blue and he seemed just as surprised by his request as Juliet was.

"Well, we are married." She replied with a small nod and he gave a small laugh before leaning in towards her.

"So technically, it'd be rude not to kiss you, you might make me sleep on the couch." He teased her and she gave him a sincere smile.

"Shawn, if you were staying the night at my place, you would never be on the couch." She wasn't so sure if saying that out loud was a stupid mistake or a brilliant epiphany, but when Shawn's lips claimed hers she knew that even if it was a stupid mistake, it was the best one she'd ever made, and one that she had a feeling she'd be repeating.

Their lips stayed locked for a good two minutes, Shawn's arms wrapping around her, pulling her close, Juliet's arms locking around his neck, her feet elevating up onto her tip-toes to give her a better leverage.

They finally broke apart, smiles on their faces and their breathing a bit heavy.

"So, can I come in and not stay on the couch?" he asked her with an ornery glint in his eye and she giggled.

"Maybe tomorrow night Shawn, we'll have to see how our date goes, if you're free, that is." She replied and Shawn had never felt so much like dancing a victory dance in his entire life.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." He nodded, agreeing with her quickly before she had the chance to change her mind.

"Goodnight Shawn." She winked before slipping into her apartment. Shawn stood in the hallway for a moment or two before running down the stairs towards the Echo that he had to return to Gus.

Juliet laughed when she looked out her window to see Shawn standing by the car, dancing around like a kid on a sugar high. She knew that him being her husband was a good idea.

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Did you like? As always babies, read and review.

Andrew's Slinky.


	26. Scary Sherry: The Aftermath

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Hey guys, as previously stated, I got the first season of Psych on DVD and when I was watching Scary Sherry, I got a few ideas on how to put Shawn and Juliet together. This first one is based off a deleted scene where Shawn offers Juliet DiGiorno and a night with him and Gus (so mad they deleted that)

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Juliet walked towards her beloved green bug, several scenarios running through her mind, not all of them pleasant when she noticed Shawn and the ridiculously large bandage covering not only the finger he'd cut on the ax, but his entire hand and half his forearm.

"I don't remember that cut being so severe." She teased and he sent her a soft smile.

"It wasn't. But tonight, Gus and I are making DiGiorno, and I haven't been able to find my oven mitt for weeks."

She smiled, but tried to hide it by looking down as she nodded to agree with his statement, she knew that encouraging him too much was a bad idea, and yet, she could use some distractions at the moment.

"Thank you for the assist." She told him, and inwardly cringed at how robotic that sounded.

"Dude, you totally won your first axe fight, fun huh?" he teased with a sweet smile on his face and she was too tired to fight it.

"Not the first word that comes to mind." She replied as the fight between her and Alice ran through her already fried mind.

"No, that would be DiGiorno," he told her as though he were speaking to a person of lesser intelligence, "Are you coming over or what?"

He spread his arms as though it was all a casual thing, but she knew the implications behind it.

"How about a rain check?" she asked, knowing that with her heightened senses and distracting fear of what could have happened up in that room might make her do something with Shawn that she would regret later. She opened her car door and got in. Shawn leaned over to look at her through the open passenger window.

"Rain check?" he sounded offended by the very idea, "What is this Vancouver? Hardly ever rains here."

She smiled over at him and the slight desperate tone to his voice.

"Shawn."

"C'mon Jules, you, me, Gus, and gooey cheese covered pizza, I'm not finding anything wrong with this."

"Its late Shawn and I have work tomorrow."

"Not till the afternoon, I checked the schedule. C'mon Jules, if I can't help you through this very scary time then what am I good for?"

Juliet gauged his sincerity and saw something in his eyes that melted her heart. He was scared, what had happened between her and Alice in room 314 had scared her and she saw that mirrored in his eyes. He was worried for her, worried that she was going to go home and break down, all alone.

"I…okay Shawn." She nodded and he smiled at her, a real, genuine, Shawn Spencer smile. The kind of smile that lit up a room and made her knees weak.

"Really?" he asked her and she nodded.

"Yeah, I'll be at the office in about a half hour, I have to go home and change."

"Oh, it won't be at the office, it's at my place, do you know how to get there?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"Okay, so half an hour, I'll bring Gus, you bring Halle Berry?"

"Half an hour Shawn." She replied as she started her car and then pulled into the street, headed for her place to get into clothes that didn't make her look like a deranged cupie doll.

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She arrived at Shawn's place in a pair of sweat pants and a tank top; her heart was beating a million miles a minute. She knew that this was a bad idea, she shouldn't be going into Shawn Spencer's apartment, even if Gus was going to be there, yet, the part of her that was still screaming in terror made her walk up those steps towards two men that she knew had come for her tonight.

She reached the correct door and raised a hesitant fist, letting it fall twice in short, polite knocks. Gus answered the door and smiled down at her.

"Hi Juliet." He greeted and she felt herself relax a little bit as she allowed him to usher her inside.

"Hey Gus." She returned the greeting as she took in Shawn's place. While she had been to his apartment before she had never been inside of it, and found herself intrigued as to how a psychic lived. It was clean, considering that a bachelor lived there, and the living room looked comfortable and warm. All in all his apartment was warm and welcoming, much like that man that lived there.

"Hey Jules." Greeted Shawn as he exited the kitchen, a Tupperware container containing pineapple in his undamaged hand.

"Hi Shawn." She greeted, her voice shaking just a bit. She knew it was stupid to be so nervous, she was a cop for God's sake, she shouldn't be nervous about spending a few hours with Shawn and Gus eating pizza.

"Pizza should be done soon, Gus, bring it out when it is." Suggested Shawn as he wrapped his free, and bandaged, arm around Juliet's shoulders, steering her into the living room as Gus stood behind them, a murderous look on his face, but he was an excellent wingman and did as he was told, even if he did grumble about it the entire time he was doing it.

"Doesn't that bandage make your arm warm?" asked Juliet, trying to distract herself from the fact that she and Shawn were all alone in the living room of his apartment, only a cushion on the couch separating them.

"A little, wanna help me take it off?" he asked her, holding up a pair of scissors and she laughed, shaking her head.

"Okay Shawn, I'll help." She agreed, taking the scissors from him and snipping through a few layers of the gauze. She gently unwrapped the wads of gauze from his arm and hand, her touch affecting him, even through all the barriers. Once his arm made an appearance and there was a normal sized bandage on his finger to help heal the cut from the axe he and Juliet fell into an awkward silence.

"Pizza." Stated Gus as he came in, a tray with a large, cheesy pizza in one hand and a tray of drinks in the other.

"Thanks Gus."

"Yeah dude, thanks." Came the answers from his two friends and Gus rolled his eyes before going to sit on the middle cushion of the couch only to find that Shawn had already filled it up, leaving him out on the end.

Juliet noticed Shawn's lighting quick movement and knew what he was doing, but refused to think about it. She didn't want to think about anything but the slice of gooey pizza in her hand and the Bruce Willis film on the television.

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The credits for the movie finally rolled across the screen and both Gus and Shawn were still awake, but the excitement from the night, combined with a glass of water and a slice of pizza had finally caught up to Juliet and she was fast asleep, curled into her corner of the couch, a blanket wrapped around her that smelled like Shawn's laundry detergent and pineapple.

"Should we wake her up?" asked Gus as he stood, helping Shawn put away all the dirty dishes.

"Nah, go home Gus, she's had a rough night, she can stay here, I'll make sure that she gets to work on time." Replied Shawn as he put the dishes in the sink and left them there, content with doing them in the morning.

"Okay." Said Gus warily, unsure if he should leave his friend with the vulnerable young detective.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of her." And his answer was so sincere that Gus didn't question it for even a moment.

"Okay, see you tomorrow." The pair bumped fists before Gus left, grabbing his keys off the countertop on his way.

Shawn sighed and headed back into the living room, gently reaching out to Juliet and pulling her a little further down the couch, stretching her out and covering her tenderly with the blanket. He leaned down and kissed her temple, his heart beating a little faster at their close proximity, before turning out the lights and turning off the television before heading towards the back of the apartment, disappearing into his bedroom. He quickly stripped down to his undershirt and boxers, disregarding his shirt, pants, shoes and socks before crawling under the blue comforter that adorned his king-sized bed and turning out the bedside lamp, falling asleep in a matter of minutes.

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Alice was standing before her, a large and very shiny metal axe in her shaking hands. She swung at Juliet, again and again and again and the only thought that ran through the young detective's mind was "I'm going to die in this room."

Then the axe swung up once more and came crashing down towards her and then the entire room went black.

Juliet jackknifed awake, her heart pounding a mile a minute, her mind fuzzy as she felt along her body for wounds before her memory caught up to her and she remembered that she had stopped Alice. Her breathing was heavy and labored, her eyes scanning the room and her mind figuring out that she was in Shawn's apartment, she must have fallen asleep on his couch.

"Shawn." She breathed, her fear overwhelming her and she knew that she needed to be close to another person, she needed the comfort that she had been so hesitant to ask for earlier.

She quickly got off the couch, leaving her blanket behind and entering Shawn's bedroom.

"Shawn?" she questioned softly and he must not have been able to sleep well either because her soft question of his name woke him up.

"Jules?" he asked just as softly as she had and she entered the room more fully.

"I had a nightmare." She shrugged and he gave her a soft smile.

"C'mere." He lifted up the edge of the comforter and gestured her over. She returned his smile and walked over to the bed, getting in beside him and snuggling up to his side.

"How bad was the dream?" he asked as he ran his fingers through her soft, blonde hair in an attempt to soothe her.

"She was swinging that axe at me and then in came down and everything went black and I…oh Shawn, it was awful." She buried her face in the crook of his neck and he hugged her closer, his hands rubbing her back, calming her to the best of his ability.

"Don't worry, you're okay." He murmured into her hair before kissing the top of her head but she didn't answer, she merely snuggled into him further, tightening her hold on him, something that he mimicked.

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Juliet woke up curled next to Shawn, much in the same position that she had fallen asleep in. She gently extracted herself from his embrace and headed out into the living room. She grabbed a pad of paper and a pencil off his side table and wrote him a quick note. She signed it quickly and sent a small smile in his direction before leaving his apartment, headed for her own apartment so that she could change for work, she had to be there in two hours.

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Shawn woke up alone and went off in search of Juliet only to find her note. He looked down at it, read it quickly and gave a soft smile. He had an idea.

He showed up at the Santa Barbara Police Department on Juliet's lunch hour with Gus and a heavy bag of Chinese food. He jogged up the steps in his usual manner and appeared almost silently at Juliet's desk. She spun in her chair to look at him in surprise.

"Shawn."

"Hey Jules, Gus and I were in the neighborhood and figured that you could use some lunch. Chow Mein sound good?" he held up the bag and she sent him a smile.

"Thanks Shawn, that sounds great."

Shawn passed the food around as Gus took a seat in the chair next to Juliet's desk and Shawn hopped up onto her desk, crossing his legs underneath himself Indian style. The three friends laughed and smiled and ate their Chinese food and while Gus was in the middle of a story Shawn looked down at Juliet as she looked up at him and they shared a significant look; the both of them realizing that as much as last night should stay in the archives, never to see the light of day, it had altered their entire relationship, and maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

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Okay guys, this is going to be it for a while, I have decided to put this story on hiatus for now so that I can concentrate on getting a few of my stories finished, and maybe even starting a Psych fic that isn't just a collection of one-shots, one with a real plot and chapters that tie in with each other, but I'm not so sure yet, I'll have to test out a few of my ideas to see if any of them will even work. Thank you all for staying with me, and as always read and review.

Andrew's Slinky

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	27. Fake

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Hey guys, okay, so I know I put this on hiatus, but the longer Psych story that I'm trying is giving me some trouble so I have decided to continue this one while I try to get that story back on track.

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He didn't know what it was, but there was something so innocent about the woman when she was fast asleep. The slight worry lines on her forehead smoothed out into soft skin and she smiled, she smiled while she slept, her long blonde hair spread out over her own pillow to fall on his as well. Her deep blue eyes shut lightly and her body curled into the fetal position, his shirt adorning her frame.

_He loved her._

_He'd tell her tomorrow._

He'd have to tell her.

But not tonight, tonight she could sleep.

He didn't know how she hadn't figured it out yet. They'd been together seven months now and she still didn't know, and if she did, she wasn't saying anything. She was a cop and she still didn't know.

He loved her, and he'd tell her, tomorrow.

He ran his fingers through her hair, spreading it out on the pillow even more, his fingers rejoicing in the silky feeling. Her eyes fluttered for a moment but they didn't open, she continued to sleep, falling into a deeper slumber as his fingers ran through her hair, soothing her.

She wasn't really asleep, but she would pretend to be asleep for the rest of her life if he would always be there to watch over her and run his fingers through her hair.

_She loved him._

_She'd tell him tomorrow._

_She'd have to tell him._

_But not tonight, tonight they'd just enjoy one another._

She was a cop, she'd figured it out a month into their relationship, but she couldn't admit it. She didn't want to admit it. And now. Now it was starting to get too late. She wasn't so sure if she could tell him now, not when every time she looked at him her knees went weak and butterflies erupted in her stomach. It was too late now.

She loved him, and she could tell him, later.

Maybe their silence was what would keep them together; maybe it was what would tear them apart. But more than likely they would celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary together, both knowing the truth and neither saying a word.

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Something that popped into my head, and in case you didn't understand it, Jules has figured out that Shawn is a fake psychic and Shawn knows he has to tell her, and neither knows of the other's decision.

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	28. Pudding Pops

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Hey everybody, I'm back. And my real story for Psych should be put up by the end of next week, so keep an eye out for it. Oh, and I would just like to say that I am a little put off by the newer episodes, even though last Friday's episode did have some Shules flirting action, I kinda feel like they're pretending the "close talking" never happened, and I want Shules! –pouts- But I can't get it on the T.V. so I'll just write about it. Enjoy.

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"Goodnight Juliet."

"Goodnight Buzz." Juliet waved goodbye to her fellow officer as she left the department, her coat over her arm, and, for the first time in two weeks, no paperwork. She was headed home for a nice night of doing absolutely nothing, and she was looking forward to it.

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She'd been at home for the past hour, it was currently six o-clock in the evening and she hadn't done anything but stop by the market and pick up a few things. She was bored. Ridiculously so, and the fact that her television had ninety-nine channels but there was nothing on was just maddeningly unhelpful.

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Eight o'clock and she had done nothing but eat the entire bag of Milano cookies that she had gotten at the market. Ninety-nine channels, two hours, and nothing was on. Again, maddeningly unhelpful.

Maybe she should call someone. But her list of friends in Santa Barbara was kind of short. She hadn't been here very long and the only people that she talked to on a daily basis were Lassiter, her other fellow officers, Shawn and Gus.

Lassiter was out of the question, as far as the pair of them had come in learning to tolerate and understand each other, she still very much doubted that he would appreciate her calling him on his day off because she was bored and had nothing else to do. She couldn't call any of the other officers, sure she talked to them, but she couldn't really see herself hanging out with any of them outside of work, and then there was Gus. She liked Gus, but didn't know him that well.

Leaving Shawn.

Just Shawn.

Shawn, who would gladly come over.

Shawn, who she liked, and would hang out with outside of work, and who would gladly hang out with her.

Jules if you wanted to spend more time with me you didn't have to trump up some case. All you had to do was pick up the phone, give me a call and be like "Shawn, I'm here and I have pudding pops."

She had told him that she would remember that, and she was here, and, in a twist of irony that she was not missing, she did have pudding pops.

She could call him, what would be the big deal? She liked Shawn in a friendly sort of way, and he definitely liked her.

The phone was right there, so were the pudding pops, and so was she. Closing her eyes she grabbed her phone and dialed Shawn's number, which she knew from heart, but she wasn't going to dwell on that right now.

"Shawn? Hey, uh, I'm here, and I have pudding pops."


	29. A Pillar for Strength

He had always had a thing for blondes. He just never noticed it before. Every girl that he had gone out with previous to this had dark hair, and he knew that. And now that he watched Juliet sitting at her desk, giggling over something that McNabb had just said, her blonde hair shining beautifully off the fluorescent lighting, he had no idea why he hadn't noticed that he had a very big thing for blondes.

She was just beautiful, something about the way that her hair fell into her face just so, just barely grazing her long eyelashes before she reached up and swiped it away. Something about her smile made his knees shake, something about her life made a tightening in his stomach happen that he often associated with doing something wild and crazy. Something about her was so…perfect. She looked so good that it almost hurt, he almost didn't feel worthy enough to look at her, and then she would send that knee weakening smile his way and he didn't care if he wasn't worthy or being selfish for wanting her. Because that smile made his entire world brighten and he never wanted that feeling to go away, it made him feel complete and warm.

She noticed him as she turned to put a paper on the desk of her partner. She smiled at him and his knees started to go week and so he leaned against a pillar of the station to steady himself but still seem nonchalant. She was headed over to him, and he had nothing to say because her smile was so distracting. He was blowing it, blowing it. He had to say something, she was right in front of him. 'Say something stupid!' His mind screamed at him, but he couldn't manage anything other than to return her bright smile with one of his own.

"Hey Shawn." She greeted him, standing so close that he could catch the scent of her shampoo. Peaches.

"Hi." Was his slightly squeaked reply and he winced at how pathetic he had sounded before covering it up.

"Just couldn't resist coming to say hi to me, huh?"

She smiled again and he sent a quick prayer of thank to whomever it was that had invented the pillar, because his knees weren't going to support him for at least another year.

"Something like that." She nodded, a small giggle to her voice and he nearly passed out right there from the overload of feelings that he was currently experiencing.

"I knew it." He meant it to come out more confident, but it seemed that he was going to have a bad day of controlling himself because it was a soft whisper and she had to lean in a bit to hear him, her shoulder resting against the pillar, a slight mimic of his position, her breath grazing his neck, because even though he was leaning she was still much shorter.

"Knew what?" a whisper also.

"You couldn't resist me." He gave her a roguish grin and all of a sudden, the weight that she had been placing against the pillar seemed to increase, as her own knees got slightly weak.

"Shawn?" she whispered again and he leaned in.

"Yeah Jules?" he asked.

"Do you want to go out sometime?" the words were out before she could stop them. He stood in shock for a moment or two before nodding at her.

"Yeah, yeah, I'd love that."

"Good." She grinned at him and headed back to her desk, a heavy blush on her cheeks but a relieved look to her.

He stood there for a moment more, a goofy grin on his face until he realized something. She affected him so much that he couldn't even stand on his own two feet without fear that his knees would crumple beneath him.

Their date had better involve pillars.


	30. I Could So Be A Model

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Why in the hell couldn't he be a model? What did those collagen pumped, botox stuffed, pretty boys know?

He could so be a model, he was adorable, and he knew it. He got dates all the time.

And if he had wanted to be a model, he could have been, and more than just an ankle and foot model. He couldn't have been a model for any part of his body. They didn't know anything.

And how dare they say that Gus had the perfect bone structure? He was so the cuter of the duo and it had always been that way; not that Gus wasn't an attractive guy, not that he thought of Gus that way, but he was cuter dammit! And he knew it.

----------------

"What do you think he's brooding about?" Lassiter leaned into Juliet as she sat on her desk, questioning the abnormally silent pseudo-psychic across the room.

"Dunno, he's been like this since our last case, maybe it's because he didn't get a chance to point the finger at anyone when we figured out the case?" Juliet replied questioningly, Shawn's silence starting to scare her a little.

Lassiter sighed heavily.

"I'm tired of that little…" and he trailed off at the look that Juliet was giving him, her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed.

"Oh come on Carlton, maybe something is really wrong." She scolded him and he had the good sense to look abashed at her statement before she walked over to Shawn and sat on the bench next to him.

"Hey Shawn."

"Hi Jules." His eyes brightened for a moment when he saw her, but then his face reverted back into his brooding look from before.

"What's the matter?" she asked him and he shrugged, a forlorn look on his face.

"Nothing." He muttered and she looked a little concerned.

"C'mon Shawn, you can tell me, I've never seen you look like this, something must be wrong." She soothed, a gentle hand on his forearm and he looked up at her, a pout on his face.

"I could so be a model!" he burst just a few moments later and she laughed, out of shock more than anything.

"What?" she asked him through giggles and he looked offended.

"I could be a model, and more than just a foot or ankle model." He grouched, crossing his arms over his chest and slouching in his seat a bit.

Juliet managed to control her giggles and patted his head soothingly.

"I believe you could be a model Shawn, after all, you have adorable cheeks." She stood to go back to work and he sat up a bit straighter.

"Out of all my features, you choose my cheeks?" he asked her, pointing to his face, "Not even my cheekbones?"

"Shawn, who said anything about the cheeks on your face?" she asked him with a quirked eyebrow before heading back to her desk, a wide smile on her face as the psychic sat in complete and silent shock.

A grin curled its way onto Shawn's face and he felt his bad mood dissipate.

He knew he could be a model.

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Still lovin the new episodes, hilarious, but if I don't get some Shules action in the season finale I'm gonna be a little miffed. After all, it is ridiculously mean that they give us the "close talking" then nothing! Boo, I'm done ranting now, enjoy.

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	31. Mother Mother

--

--

Juliet was speeding, and she knew it. She was breaking the law and she was a cop, the irony was not lost. But she would drive her way throw fire if she had to. She had to get to her apartment before Shawn. Her mother was visiting her, and she had insisted that she stay in her apartment instead of a hotel, a decision that she was starting to regret. She loved her mother, and she loved Shawn (she just hadn't told him yet) but she didn't love the idea of them together. Her mother was a very critical person, and she knew that Shawn would do anything, even if it was ridiculous, to win her over.

She had been dating Shawn for three months now, and she wanted to keep him for much longer than that, but she was not ready to introduce him to her mother. It was too big a step, and besides the fact that she wasn't even sure if she'd still have a boyfriend when her mother was through, it wouldn't be the first time she had chased away someone Juliet cared for.

"Mom, I'm back." She called into the apartment, her ears and eyes prepared for anything.

Anything but what she saw. Her mother was sitting on the couch, a Tupperware container of pineapple in hand, and Shawn on the cushion next to her, an old cop show on the television.

"Hello Juliet, how was work?" her mother asked her, a sweet smile on her face as she turned her head to greet her only daughter.

"It was okay, hi Shawn."

"Hey Jules." Shawn got up from his place on the couch to give his girlfriend a sweet kiss.

"Juliet, why haven't you told me about this young man, he's wonderful." Her mother chastised her and Juliet was speechless, her mother had never said anything even remotely like that.

"Uh…Shawn, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a moment?" she asked her boyfriend, who shrugged and nodded.

"Sure. You stay here, Bridge, and don't eat all of my pineapple." He teased her mother, and even gave her a nickname and she merely smiled at him before turning back to the television. Juliet got the sickening feeling that her mother was now a pod person.

"Shawn, what have you been doing with my mother?" she asked him once they were out of earshot.

"Nothing, just watching some T.V. and eating the most amazing sustenance that the gods have ever bestowed." He replied over dramatically and she sighed, giving him an amused look.

"You know what I mean, I can't believe that she likes you."

He sent her a hurt look.

"No, I mean, she's never liked any of my boyfriends, she's never given any of them a chance, and not only did she give you a chance, but she likes you, I'm starting to think she's a pod person."

"Oh Jules, parents love me, now go tell your mom about your day, I'm gonna start dinner." He kissed her temple gently before giving her a gentle push towards the living room.

"Hi mom, did you have a nice day with Shawn?"

"Oh yes dear, Shawn is a wonderful young man."

"Yeah, he is," Juliet agreed and her mother smiled at her.

"You love him don't you?"

"Yes."

"Good, I think he loves you too."

--

The three of them sat there eating dinner and for the first time when a boyfriend met her mother there was no awkward silence, there were smiles and laughter and when Shawn took her hand, her mother smiled at them.

All that was left was for Shawn to meet her dad.

--


	32. Weddings

--

--

Juliet sighed as she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She had always viewed herself as cute, her body petite and blonde with blue eyes she was the quintessential American beauty. But no one in the entire world would look good in the monstrosity that she was being forced to wear. Not even Angelina Jolie, or Jennifer Aniston or Gwen Stefani could pull off the dark green, taffeta, shoulder padded, floor length bridesmaid gown that she was being forced to wear. She loved Amy, she really did, and the man that she was marrying was absolutely perfect for her but she was never ever ever going to forgive her for making her wear the gown that she was currently itching to death in.

But she couldn't stay in a bathroom for the rest of the evening, she owed it to Amy to go out into the wedding and at least attempt to mingle, maybe if she stayed with the rest of the bridesmaids she wouldn't look so ridiculous. So with a sigh of defeat she pushed the door open and headed out into the room of people who were sure to be snickering behind their hands as she passed.

"Juliet! Juliet! Come here, I have to introduce you to somebody." Amy appeared out of nowhere, in her gorgeous ivory, strapless gown and Juliet hated her all the more for it.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming." She giggled out of the ridiculousness of the situation as Amy dragged her towards her new husband and a man who had his back turned to her, and yet looked oddly familiar.

"Juliet, this is Shawn, Shawn this is Juliet." Amy introduced them and the man turned to shake her hand, but stopped. Juliet knew he had looked familiar.

"Shawn." She stated, surprised that he was standing before her in a tuxedo no less. He looked good.

"Hey Jules." It was a half smirk half chuckle as he viewed her in her gown, and she sent him the dirtiest look she could muster.

"You two already know each other?" asked Amy, a bit surprised as she looked at the pair.

"Yeah, uh, Shawn's the department's resident psychic." Juliet replied absentmindedly as she continued to look him up and down, he looked ravishing in his tux and she was all of a sudden feeling the most self-conscious that she ever had.

"Oh, who knew, he's a friend of Kevin's from college." Amy replied, a smile splitting her face as she viewed the looks that the pair were giving each other.

"Why don't you two dance, and catch up." Amy grabbed Kevin's hand and dragged him away, leaving the pair on the edge of the dance floor just as a slow song started.

"May I have this dance?" Shawn questioned her gently, holding out a non-threatening hand and Juliet sighed but accepted anyway.

The pair of them had the airs of every junior high couple that were sharing their first slow dance and the awkwardness of the situation was stifling. Until Shawn started to laugh.

"What?" asked Juliet, giving him an odd look as he continued to chuckle at nothing.

"That dress." Shawn laughed and she slapped his chest with an open palm.

"Shut up, she's my friend what was I supposed to do?" she asked him, getting defensive.

"Oh don't be mad, Jules, you're still as adorable as ever, its just what kind of friend makes you wear that eighties monstrosity?" Shawn asked and soothed all at the same time as he pulled her closer in their dance. His arm going around her waist, and the hand griping hers coming to rest on his chest and Juliet felt butterflies erupt in her stomach at the feeling.

"I'm still as adorable as ever?" she asked as her head came to rest on his shoulder and Shawn smiled down at the top of her head.

"Jules, you'll always be beautiful." He whispered to her hair and she smiled, snuggling further into his embrace even if the song playing was no longer slow.

"I thought you said adorable, where did beautiful come from?" she asked him, a blush staining her cheeks.

"Oh come on Juliet," he dipped her and she giggled, "you know that I've always found you gorgeous."

She sighed as she came back up to rest against his chest.

"Well, you don't look so bad either, especially in that tux, its quite handsome."

"Oh? I was debating with Gus on whether or not it was 007 rakish or just the kid at his senior prom that took his mom."

Juliet laughed.

"Definitely 007."

He smiled at her and before he thought it over he pressed a kiss to her forehead. She stiffened a bit in his arms and he instantly regretted his lapse of judgment.

"Jules, I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

She cut him off with a proper kiss to the lips and when she pulled away he stared at her in shock.

"You just kissed me."

"Yes, I did." She smiled at him and he leaned down, stealing another kiss.

"So, I'm adorable and the dress is ugly?"

"Only if the tux is 007-ish."

"It is." She smiled up at him and he stole another kiss.

"You're adorable."

--

Okay, I got this idea when I was in my cousin's wedding the other day, I was a bridesmaid and while the dress was absolutely adorable and we all looked good I started to wonder what it would be like if the dress was ugly, and then this popped into my head.

Read and review please

Andrew's Slinky


	33. Mastered

--

--

"Dude, I took every single one of those jobs for the experience, I mastered them, and I moved on…"

He had mastered every job he had ever had. All thirty-seven of them since high school, and he had mastered being a psychic. Even if new cases brought new ideas, he could fall back on the old ones without trouble and still be believable. Just like work, he had mastered every woman he had ever been with. He had them figured out, he knew exactly what could make them tic, make them smile, make them moan, he knew it all, he knew every trick to every woman. Well, every woman he had ever gone out with. But not Jules. She was something different. His usual tricks didn't work, and he didn't know if he was losing his game, or she really didn't find him attractive, or maybe it was because she had values, morals, a vision for her life. She knew where she was headed and what kind of man was going to fit in on that plan.

He wanted to be that man.

Whether it was love of the chase, of the game, or of her, he wasn't entirely sure, but he knew that Juliet was the woman for him. She made him think, she tossed him curveballs where he always had to up his game, change his game, sometimes even fix his game to keep her interested. He liked that. He liked that even after two years of pursing her that she still kept him on his toes in the most delicious way that he could ever imagine. He was falling for her, hard and fast. She had the ability to break his heart, or to make him the happiest he had ever been. Maybe she held too much power. Maybe he should back off before he got hurt. He had to face the facts.

He was powerless beneath her gaze.

He wanted, needed, and craved her approval.

He loved her.

He wanted her.

He needed her.

He craved her.

She kept him on his toes, he couldn't master her, he couldn't get bored with her, she was perfect. He was in love.

He was powerless.

He loved her.

He wanted her.

He needed her.

He craved her.

And if he got lucky, she would want, need, crave, and love him back.

--


	34. I Will Always Take Care of You

--

--

He was dying.

He knew it, God was punishing him.

He was dying a slow, painful death.

He coughed. He sneezed. He wheezed. He could feel the horrible fever ravage his body.

He was dying.

"Shawn, what are you doing?" asked Gus, an annoyance to his voice as he brought in a cup of chicken soup.

"Dying." Shawn replied in a stuffed, nasally voice. Gus sighed and set down the mug of soup on the coffee table and stood before his friend, staring down at him. Shawn looked up at him, a small, wet cough escaping his lips as his head hung off the edge of the couch and his legs were tossed on the back of the couch.

"You are not dying, you have the flu and are sitting upside down, allowing all the blood to rush to your head." Gus replied in annoyance, forcing his friend to sit in a normal position and handing him the mug of soup.

"Eat that."

Shawn sighed and held the mug between his palms, glad for the warmth.

"Listen, I have to go to work, I'll drop off these papers at the police department, and you will eat that soup." Gus ordered him, picking up their latest finished case file and heading out the door of Shawn's apartment.

Shawn sat on his couch and stared miserably at the blank television.

--

"Hey Gus." Juliet greeted as her friend entered the police department.

"Hey Juliet, I have the case file." He handed her the manila envelope and she sent him a grateful smile.

"Thanks, where's Shawn?" she craned her neck around Gus to look for the psychic and hated to admit that she was a little disappointed when she didn't see him.

"Sick at his apartment." Gus shrugged.

"Is he okay?" she was concerned despite herself. She tried to remain passive; he was a friend so there was no damage in being concerned for his well being, right? It was total bologna and she knew it. She hadn't thought of Shawn as just a friend in nearly six months now, ever since their almost kiss when he was a Bounty Hunter.

"He should be." Gus shrugged, not too worried.

"What does he have?"

"Just the flu."

"And you left him alone?" she asked, a little outraged.

"Yeah, he'll be fine, Juliet, don't worry so much." Gus shrugged, seeming nonchalant, "I have to work today, and I couldn't stay with him."

"Well, I just got off, so I'll check on him on my way home." She decided, grabbing her jacket and purse. Gus just shrugged in silent response and watched the petite blonde detective leave the station, a small smirk on his face as he watched his diabolical plan go into motion.

--

"Shawn?" Juliet called as she let herself into Shawn's apartment, a bag of groceries in her hand. She shut the door behind her and set the bag of groceries on the counter before entering the apartment more fully.

"Shawn?" she called again as she looked around for the psychic. There was an empty mug on the coffee table, and a discarded blanket on the couch. Then there was a faint retching noise from the bathroom and she quickly ran in to find Shawn bent over the toilet, emptying his stomach of whatever had been in the mug on the coffee table.

"Oh Shawn." She hit her knees beside him and rubbed his back, soothing him as his stomach revolted.

"Its okay, its okay, let it all out." She soothed to the best of her ability, taking the time to run her fingers through his slightly dirty hair.

"Jules?" he asked, as his stomach seemed to calm.

"Hey Shawn, take it easy okay?" she told him as he attempted to stand. He nodded and reached out to flush the toilet.

"Puking is so undignified." He told her softly and she giggled.

"Yeah, I know, c'mon, lets get you back to the couch and I'll get you a glass of water to rinse out the nasty taste in your mouth." She continued to rub his back as he leaned on her for support to get him back to the couch and his blanket.

He groaned as he eased back onto the couch and Juliet quickly covered him with the discarded blanket before taking the empty mug and disappearing into the kitchen. She came back a moment later with his water.

"You feeling better?" she asked him as he took a tentative sip.

"Yeah." He nodded and she smiled at him, picking up his remote and handing it to him.

"You watch some television, and I'll put away the groceries I brought, okay?" she told him and he smiled.

"You brought groceries?" he asked. She smiled back down at him and ran her hand through his hair again.

"Yeah, I didn't know what you'd have, and I'm gonna be here until you're feeling better." She told him and he gave her a quizzical look.

"Don't you have to work?" he asked her and she shook her head.

"No, I have the weekend off, don't worry about it." She smiled at him before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Shawn sighed and curled tightly under his blanket as he flipped through his T.V. channels searching for something to watch as he listened to the almost soothing sounds of Juliet moving about in his kitchen. He didn't know why she had decided to come over and take care of him, but he did know why she had known that he was sick and made the decision right then and there to let Gus have some of his own psychic thunder the next case that they worked.

"Shawn, you still awake?" Juliet questioned softly as she entered the room, a mug in her hands.

"Yeah." He nodded a bit miserably. She sighed.

"Do you mind if I sit and watch some T.V. with you?" she asked him and he chuckled before it turned into a heavy cough.

"Shawn?" Juliet asked as she crossed the room quickly to place a gentle hand against Shawn's shaking chest.

"That doesn't sound good, I'm gonna go get some vapor rub." She told him, setting her mug of what he assumed was tea down on the coffee table before exiting back into the kitchen. She returned a minute later with a jar of Vick's Vapor Rub in her hand.

"C'mon, I need you to sit up." She told him softly, and he attempted to, but his body was fighting him so Juliet just sat down and let him rest his head and shoulders on her lap.

"It's okay Shawn, you don't have to move." She whispered to him, careful not to hurt his sensitive ears and he smiled.

"Thanks." He murmured as she put some of the cream on her fingertips and rubbed it on his chest, her hand disappearing underneath his shirt. While he may have exploited this particular scenario if he were feeling a bit better he just couldn't manage the strength and let her rub his chest, sighing in contentment at the delicious feeling.

Juliet smiled down at him and the obvious look of contentment on his face as his eyes closed and he melted into her touch. She tried to keep herself calm, because she knew that she shouldn't be touching him like this, even if he was sick. She should be doing something else, making him tea or soup or something, or she should be back at her own apartment soaking in a hot bath.

A sickly cough broke her selfish train of thought and she directed her attention to the very sick psychic beneath her palm.

"You okay Shawn?" she asked him quietly and he nodded, his eyes still shut. She nodded back even though he couldn't see her and continued to rub his chest, knowing that whenever she was sick that getting a back rub made her feel so much better.

--

Two hours later and Shawn's eyes opened as he got that familiar sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He shifted, hoping that it would go away and realized that he was still on Juliet's lap and her hand was still down his shirt. She was slumped into the corner of the couch, fast asleep. He smiled at the sight before his stomach churned horribly again and he tore off towards the bathroom.

Juliet jarred awake as Shawn shot up from the couch and disappeared back into the bathroom. She sighed and grabbed his glass of water, taking it with her into the bathroom. She set the glass on the sink and kneeled by Shawn as he retched again. She reached out and rubbed his back again.

"Let it out Shawn."

His stomach had been relatively empty so when he finally got up the chicken soup from earlier and the little bit of water he had swallowed he just sat on the bathroom floor, his stomach revolting, and dry heaving over the toilet, Juliet's small hands on his back.

"Oh." He groaned once his muscles relaxed and he sat back on his heels, leaning against Juliet's soft body as a cold and clammy feeling overtook him.

"Okay, you're okay." She soothed him, her hand going back to his chest, holding him softly to her as he calmed down.

"I don't feel so good Jules." He told her in a whisper, and she nodded.

"I know Shawn, c'mon, lets get you back to the couch." She helped him stand, but his knees were still jelly and he had to lean against her heavily the entire way back to the couch, stumbling a few times.

"Shawn, does this couch pull out?" she questioned, thinking that he'd be much better if he could lie on a bed.

"Yeah." He nodded weakly and she smiled at him.

"Okay, sit here a minute." She led him over to one of the bar stools just outside the kitchen and helped him sit, making sure that he wasn't going to collapse before heading over to the couch and proceeding to pull it out into a bed. Once she did she disappeared into his bedroom and came back with a few pillows and his dark blue comforter. She quickly made the bed and then came back over to him.

"Lets go Shawn, c'mon."

He slung his arm over her shoulders once more and she helped him over to his makeshift bed, pulling the covers up so he could slide underneath.

"There." She soothed sweetly as she smoothed out his comforter, tucking him in just a bit and making sure that he was comfortable. She stood up and went to go back to the bathroom for his water glass when his hand reached out and snagged her wrist.

"Stay with me Jules." He mumbled into the pillow and she sighed.

"Okay Shawn." She sat on the bed next to him, on top of the covers and gently ran her fingers through his hair. He moaned and snuggled further into his familiar blanket and pillow, feeling much more content and a little less sick as he drifted back into sleep.

Juliet waited until she was sure that he was asleep before heading into the kitchen and grabbing a few disinfecting supplies. She was going to at least clean out the bathroom, because the sooner that she got rid of the germs in the apartment, the sooner Shawn got rid of the germs in his body.

--

Shawn didn't wake up until the next morning and was feeling a little better. His stomach had calmed and he didn't feel like he had a fever anymore, even though he was still a little sluggish.

"Jules?" he called into the apartment, not so sure about getting up yet, but he got no answer.

"Jules?" he tried again, still no answer. Had she left? He slowly got out of his makeshift bed and headed towards the bathroom. He didn't see her jacket or purse anywhere and all of a sudden felt stupid for thinking that she was going to spend the night in his apartment. He wasn't dying, he just had the flu, she didn't need to stay all night. He pushed open the door to his bedroom, intent on a fresh pair of pajamas and the sight he came across he wasn't expecting. Juliet was fast asleep on his bed, her coat thrown over her as a blanket and her purse on the floor by her shoes. She looked cute. He decided not to wake her and instead headed over to his dresser to grab a pair of pajamas and headed to the bathroom to change.

She found him a little over an hour later, sitting up on his pull out bed, new pajamas on and the remote in his hand, a small smile on his lips as he watched Saturday morning cartoons.

"Hey, you're awake!" he greeted her warmly and she smiled at him.

"Well someone looks like they're feeling better."

He nodded at her as his smile grew.

"Yeah, I'm not up for any marathons, but I think I'll live. Who's going to break the news to Lassie?" he mocked and she giggled.

"We'll let Chief Vick do that, you up for some soup?"

He pulled a face and she looked at him quizzically.

"That was what made me sick yesterday." He shook his head in disgust, "Chicken soup isn't as good the second time around."

She pulled a face.

"Agreed, I'll get you some applesauce."

He smiled.

"Thanks, Jules, you don't have to do this, you know."

She looked over her shoulder at him and shrugged.

"Yeah, I know."

She disappeared into the kitchen and came back just a few moments later with a small bowl of applesauce in her hand and a spoon, handing them both over to him. He smiled at her and patted the expanse of bed next to him.

"Sit and watch cartoons with me." He invited and she looked skeptical for a moment before shrugging and sitting beside him.

"Sure, what're you watching?"

"Spongebob." He replied and Juliet rolled her eyes, not saying a word because she was afraid that she'd find out that Shawn's goal in life really was to live in a pineapple.

They sat in silence through three episodes of Spongebob and Shawn finished every bit of his applesauce, his appetite reappearing.

"You okay Jules?" he asked her when she started coughing. She nodded and tried to clear her throat to answer him but that just sent her into another spasm of coughing. Shawn gave her a concerned look and patted her back until she finally stopped.

"I'm okay." She managed but he looked unconvinced.

"That's how I started when I got sick." He told her and she shook her head.

"I'm not sick Shawn, don't worry about me, you just concentrate on getting better." She patted his thigh in reassurance but when he finally nodded she neglected to move it, and they sat like that together through another episode of Spongebob.

--

Shawn got through the rest of the day without getting physically ill and without even feeling like he was going to. He ate some more applesauce and even managed to get down half a piece of toast, under the watchful eye of Juliet. His couching was still pretty bad so Juliet made sure to rub more vapor rub on his chest even though he was perfectly capable of doing it himself. Neither pointed that out though.

They woke up the next morning and Shawn was feeling even better. He got down a whole piece of toast, with butter, and a glass of pineapple juice. Juliet made sure to rub more Vick's on his chest even though he was definitely capable of it on his own. They still didn't point that particular piece of information out. But they were both starting to wonder why Juliet was still there even though Shawn wasn't really sick anymore.

The morning after that Shawn woke up and Juliet was again fast asleep on his bed, but she had a fever.

"Jules?" he questioned her softly, the back of his hand going to her forehead to gauge her temperature.

"Hmmm?" she moaned as she cracked her eyes open. He smiled down at her gently, but she winced.

"Shawn I don't feel so good." She told him, curling tighter into the fetal position.

"I know Jules, c'mon." he took her arm and slung it over his shoulders.

"Shawn." She moaned in protest at being taken out of her semi-comfortable position. He ignored it and picked her up in his arms taking her over to his former sickbed and tucking her beneath the covers.

"You're going to be okay Jules." He told her softly as she instantly curled back into her fetal position, praying that the turning in her stomach would go away. It didn't. And no longer than thirty seconds after Shawn had tucked her in she was bolting towards the bathroom, her hand over her mouth.

Shawn kneeled beside her, holding back her hair and rubbing her back gently, soothing her to the best of his ability.

"Its okay Jules, c'mon, lets get you back to bed." He told her after she had rinsed her mouth out. She just nodded and let him lead her back to the sickbed and tuck her back in.

"Stay with me Shawn." She begged him and he didn't answer, he just sat next to her and rubbed her back as she slowly fell asleep under his soft ministrations.

She woke up three hours later, Shawn's arm wrapped tightly around her middle, his chest pressed into her back and his body curled around hers, keeping her warm and feeling the safest she had in a long while.

"Shawn?" she questioned softly, unsure of what time it was or how long she had been out. He stirred and when he was finally lucid enough to realize what he was doing he stiffened.

"Sorry Jules, you were having a nightmare and I didn't know what else to do." He told her as he started to move away and at the loss of his warmth, her hand snagged his wrist.

"Stay." She told him and he hesitated for a moment before returning to his original position. She sighed and snuggled into him, and he smiled, tucking his chin over her shoulder and holding her tight.

He took care of her for the next couple of days, even going so far as to rub Vick's on her chest, being careful not to push his luck and keeping it above the slope of her breasts. When she was finally feeling better she had had to call in two sick days for work (at Shawn's insistence) but in truth she was glad that he had made her. She hadn't felt up to going to work and he had taken such excellent care of her that she had been slightly reluctant to leave in the first place.

"I am sorry about this Shawn." She apologized for the millionth time as she helped him completely disinfect his apartment.

"Jules, I got you sick, don't worry about it." He soothed her as they scrubbed down the bathroom.

"I still feel bad about taking up space in your apartment for so long." She told him and he rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to throw his sponge at her.

"Jules don't ever think that you being in my apartment is a bad thing."

She ducked her head to hide her blush.

"And I should be thanking you for taking such excellent care of me."

She blushed again.

"Shawn you were sick and you needed my help." She shrugged it off, "And thank-you for taking care of me."

It was his turn to shrug.

"I'll always take care of you Jules."

She smiled up at him as they finished the bathroom and grabbed a hold of all the laundry.

"Let me help you with this." She told him and nodded.

"Okay, but just so you know, the laundry room is the most happening dating spot to happen in a while." He was only joking, but when he looked down at her she looked the most serious he had seen her in a long time.

"That works for me." She leaned up and kissed his cheek before grabbing her bag of laundry and starting down the steps. He stood still in his apartment for a moment, a wide smile on his face.

Gus wasn't just getting psychic thunder; he was getting _all_ of the credit for their next case.


	35. Aftermath

Okay, I have been away from my computer since last Friday, so sorry that this is late, I wrote it right after I watched the ep

Okay, I have been away from my computer since last Friday, so sorry that this is late, I wrote it right after I watched the episode but couldn't get it posted till now, it contains a bit of spoilers for the Season Premier. Also the F-bomb is dropped once in this chapter, so be prepared if you hate swearing and this takes place in a parking garage.

--

Furious. He was furious. Just absolutely furious. He couldn't think of another word to accurately describe the white hot emotion in his chest.

He'd been lied to half of his life. His own mother had destroyed any chance of a good relationship between himself and his father and what was worse was that Henry had let it all happen!

"Damn!" he swore, his fists flying out to hit the first thing in his path. A concrete pillar. His knuckles pulled away bloody and he looked down at them in shock. He hadn't expected that.

"Shawn?"

The voice was timid. He turned to look but only caught sight of blonde hair before his eyes teared with a combination of physical and emotional pain. He closed them; doing his best to keep the waterworks at bay, but was unable to as the salty tears made their way down his cheeks.

"Shawn what happened?"

He knew her voice. It was Juliet.

"Nothing, I…" his voice caught and he gulped down some air, not even attempting to finish his denial.

"I heard your mother was in town."

The statement was quiet and hesitant because she knew it was a touchy subject. His jaw muscles tightened and his bloody hands curled back into fists.

"Shawn!" she gasped as she saw the damage down to his hands and started crossing the distance between them. She could just feel the heat from his body when he spoke, causing her to take a step back in surprise.

"She lied to me." His statement was quietly controlled.

Juliet chose not to reply.

"They both lied to me. I thought…he was the one who had messed everything up. He did it! He left her; he left her to pick up the pieces of his shattered life. But…none of it was true." he shook his head, trying his best to understand.

Juliet surveyed him with a bit of wariness. While she knew Shawn and considered the pair of them friends she had never seen this side of his personality and wasn't quite sure of how to react.

"None of it was true! She left him. Left me. Left us and he knew," he was pacing now, "He knew all along and never told me. They got divorced, ruined my life and didn't even have the decency to tell me the truth. He knew I'd hate him. He knew I'd assume that it was his fault and he let it happen. He just fucking let it happen!"

Juliet jumped as he finally exploded, sounding angrier than she had ever thought she'd hear him.

"Oh Shawn." She stepped forward as his tears reappeared and her arms caught him around the waist as he collapsed into her, taking them both down to the asphalt below. She winced as pain reverberated through her poor uncovered knees but didn't move. She let him collapse into her further; his head dropping down to her shoulder as furious and painful sobs wracked his body. Her arms moved up from his waist to wrap her hands around his shoulders, holding him to her tightly.

"Shh." She tried to soothe him. He responded by wrapping his arms around her slim waist and continuing to break down on her shoulder.

Neither knew how long they sat there; Shawn leaning against Juliet, emptying himself of all the tears that he had never cried until his own muscles couldn't support him anymore. His tears eventually trailed off into sniffles and Juliet finally trusted herself to speak.

"Shawn maybe your dad did that to protect you."

The pseudo-psychic's grip on her waist tightened and for the first time Juliet appreciated his incredible control. She could see the muscles of his back and shoulders tense and even though his grip was tight it wasn't painful.

"He did it to push me away." Her shoulder muffled his answer but she still heard him.

"Shawn, you put your mother up on a pedestal, and your father knew that. He could see it and he didn't want you to think any less of her."

He knew her logic made sense but that didn't mean he had to like it.

"I still hate him for it."

She hugged him tighter for a brief moment before pulling back slightly. He picked his head up off her shoulder to look at her, his grip on her waist still strong.

"C'mon."

The pair stood, taking the time to lean on one another as their muscles and ligaments protested after being in such an awkward position for so long.

"C'mon, we'll go back to my place."

Shawn looked at her as though she'd just admitted to murdering the pope.

"You're upset and you're hurt. I'm not letting you drive home tonight."

She gently took his elbow and steered him towards her car. He went willingly; a little unsure of what was happening. He let her put him in the passenger side, even going so far as to let her buckle him in. She got in the driver's seat and started the engine. She'd just finished buckling up when he spoke again.

"What if this messes me up horribly for the rest of my life?" he asked her.

"Don't worry, I'll watch to make sure it doesn't."

And because she said that, he knew it wouldn't.

--

A little over ten minutes later they were back at her apartment. He managed to get himself out of the car and into her apartment before his legs became useless again and he collapsed onto her couch. She left him there to retrieve the first aid kit.

"Here, let me see your hands." She was back and kneeling before him. He let her take his hands and clean and bandage them.

"Thanks Jules."

She just smiled and sat next to him. He let himself slide into her and she took it all in stride. Letting him rest against her side, his head on her shoulder before he shifted and his head hit her lap. She was immobile for a moment before her hands slid into his hair, rubbing his scalp and letting him drift off.

He was asleep for a good ten minutes before she got out from under him and pulled a blanket over his still form.

"Sweet dreams Shawn."

She bent down, kissed his temple and then headed off to bed.

--

Shawn woke up the next morning and stretched his stiff muscles. A delicious scent poured through the air to his nostrils and he hopped off the couch; practically running to the kitchen. Juliet was standing before the stove, a spatula in her hand and flour on her nose.

"Jules?"

She turned to look at him.

"Hey Shawn, I figured you could use some breakfast."

He smiled at her.

"You get attacked by the flour?" He questioned her mock seriously, "Was there a kitchen war?"

She smiled and brushed the flour away.

"No, I was out of instant pancake mix so I had to make them from scratch," she shrugged, "it wasn't that big a deal. I would have had to add the pineapple by myself anyway."

Shawn froze.

"You made pineapple pancakes from scratch, for me?"

She blushed and nodded.

"You had a rough night."

He crossed the kitchen in two strides and dipped her in a true Hollywood style kiss. She didn't even have the presence of mind to return the gesture before she was back on her own two feet.

"Thanks Jules." He whispered in her ear, his arms still around her.

She smiled and kissed him this time, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck.

"You're welcome Shawn."


	36. Luntz

--

--

All right, so how lame was it that Juliet and that Luntz guy were dating? He was totally old, and not Shawn! I was extremely upset, but then noticed a few things in the episode that makes me believe our beloved pseudo-psychic still has a shot.

--

She watched Shawn jump up and down, waving her over to where he and Lassie were preparing to leave. She looked at him and shook her head no she couldn't come. She shouldn't go; it was ridiculous, because even though Shawn had never led them astray before, it was her job to stay. Wasn't it?

Now she was confused.

Should she stay with Luntz?

Should she leave with Shawn?

She marched purposefully over to Luntz, a grim look on her face and her mind already made up as to whom she had chosen.

"I have a job to do."

Then she was tearing off towards Shawn and her partner, knowing that although it wasn't really personal, Shawn would see it as a victory, and poor Luntz as a defeat.

--

"I want you to be happy, Jules."

She looked back at him, certain that he was pulling one over on her and voicing it. He looked hurt and told her that he just wanted her to be happy, that she owed it to herself. His voice clearly told her that he had once thought he could make her happy.

He did make her happy.

He made her laugh and smile.

He made her feel better when everything seemed to be crashing down around her.

He protected her.

He was loyal to her.

He treated her like family.

She looked back at him, making a quip about bread and knew that she had made the right choice in leaving with Shawn.

--

She stood in the doorway of Psych, Gus' shoes in hand and Shawn looked shocked. He was obviously not expecting her, and yet there was a mischievous glint to his eye.

She told him that she was returning Gus' shoes.

She was.

It was technically the truth.

Nevermind the fact that she could have dropped them off in the morning, or the next time that she saw the Psychic-Detective duo, or at least have changed out of her date outfit before coming over.

He just smiled and told her Gus had already cried over them, that there was no need.

She nodded slowly, explaining that Luntz had canceled their date when he commented on her dress. He obviously liked what he saw.

He was making her a little nervous.

She didn't know why, but there were butterflies dancing about in her stomach, and that's why, when she had started to walk away and he called out to her, she had spun around much faster than she should have if she was serious about being with Luntz.

Which she now knew that she wasn't.

Shawn had treated her like family, had wanted her to be happy.

He made her happy.

And as they walked towards the boardwalk, hot dogs in hand, she knew that she had made the right decision in leaving with Shawn.

Now all she had to do was to figure out how to leave Luntz.

Because she had found her happiness, in the most unlikely yet perfect place.

A charming psychic named Shawn Spencer.


	37. Rules

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OK, I know, I know, I am a horrible person for not updating in so long, but I just couldn't seem to get any of my ideas to pan out correctly, however, I am really feeling this one and hopefully you all will too, at least enough to forgive me for being so late with it.

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Bounty Hunters: Season 2 Episode 9

He had a no touching rule. He was not allowed to touch Juliet intimately in any way. No handholding or shoulder touching. He couldn't break that rule, because he knew that the second he did all the feelings that he had kept bottled up were going to run over and he was going to do something incredibly stupid, like kiss her. He couldn't do that, it would mess up their entire relationship, their entire dynamic. He didn't want to do that.

But this damn Tancana thing.

She was taking it to heart so much that she looked almost dead, her eyes glazed over and dull. He wanted to reach out and hug her, to hold her close until the spark came back. He couldn't. He had that no touching rule.

Damn him and his no touching!

It was a stupid rule really, if you thought about it. He could touch Juliet's hand, he could place a hand on her shoulder, it wouldn't affect things terribly would it? Sure it might make life more difficult for him, being around Juliet and almost unable to resist the urge to touch her, but she was hurting and he could do it, for her. All of it was only ever for her anyway.

He was doing it for the girl.

So he reached out, touched her shoulder and in that moment everything changed. The world slowed almost to a standstill. She stood before him, looking up at him, her blue eyes wide and unassuming, her lips slightly parted and her breathing shallower, only the slightest bit, but he noticed. He noticed everything; it was his gift and his curse.

"…that's what friends are for."

He wanted to kiss her. What would it mess up if he kissed her? Would it really destroy everything?

"Yeah, well, it's been a long day."

She was avoiding him; he could sense it. He didn't want her to feel like she should avoid him.

"Well, I guess you have to get home and feed your parrot."

"Shawn, I don't have a parrot."

This was his chance. Either he kissed her now or he let it slide, maybe forever. She was too good to waste. She was too perfect to wait on forever.

He was doing it for the girl.

"Oh. Well in that case."

He gripped her shoulder tighter, took a step forward, leaned in and just as he felt the softest, butterfly light touch from her lips she spoke.

"Shawn, what are you doing?"

He was being reprimanded. He'd ruined everything. Their friendship, their dynamic. All the power that he'd had over his emotions, it was all slipping away.

"Nothing." He couldn't really back out now, but he could feign ignorance.

"Really, because if you're doing what it looks like you're doing, it's gonna be one of those things we were just talking about."

Her breath against his lips was almost more of a turn on than if she'd actually let him kiss her.

"What's that?"

"A mistake."

"I agree, but that's clearly not what we're doing." He had to retain some ground; otherwise he'd be lost for good in the cool blue of her eyes and the heat from her lips.

"Okay. Really?" she sounded almost relieved, but kind of sad too, as if she'd wished he'd lean in further and close that gap between them.

"What do you say that we're doing?"

He had no idea what it was, because he hadn't been able to finish his original plan.

"I call it…" he hesitated, "very close talking."

"Ah, I see." _Why doesn't he just kiss me? Why don't I just kiss him? _"Do you have anything else to say?"

He puckered his lips, unable to resist and kissed her upper lip, firmly but gently.

"Mmmm, no, no I think I'm good for now." And he was. He had kissed her, technically, and for the moment it was out of his system, the no touching rule notwithstanding.

He leaned back, catching his breath. Then he took a step, two, their eyes still locked. She licked her lips and he almost retreated those two steps and kissed her. He didn't, he retained control.

"Well, goodnight."

"Night Detective."

He smiled as he walked confidently out of the police station. Tomorrow he would be able to touch her without losing control. Eventually time would catch up with him and it would become harder and harder to control, but for now, everything was great.

After all, he was doing it for the girl.

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Just something I noticed while watching the episode. He seems reluctant to touch her through the whole thing and then at the end when he touches her shoulder his entire voice and countenance change, so I thought this up. I hope you like it.

~Andrew's Slinky


	38. Mini Skirts

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This one was inspired by Dark Mage of Sea

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He was going to kill her.

What the hell had she been thinking? Was she insane? He knew that she had been given a bonus at work, and Psych was doing incredibly well in its fifth year of business, but what the hell did she think, money grew on trees?

Well he had news for her.

It didn't.

She came through the apartment door, a large grin on her face, and a bag of Chinese food in her hand.

"Hey baby, how was your day?" she smiled at him, dropping a kiss to his cheek as she set the bag of food on the kitchen counter and tossed her keys on the hook.

"Interesting dear," he mocked, his tone quietly controlled.

She looked at him quizzically as she slid off her jacket and shoes.

"What's the matter? Did you and Gus have a fight?" she asked, sounding concerned as she headed towards their bedroom to change out of her work clothes and into something a little more comfortable.

"No, uh, I did find the credit card bill however."

"Oh?" she sounded non-plussed as she entered the bedroom, closing the door about halfway.

"Yeah, want to explain some of these charges to me?" he asked as he looked down at the offending piece of paper as though it had done him a grievous wrong.

"Uh…" she trailed off, wracking her brain for the last few purchases she'd made with her bonus at work.

"Like, an eight-hundred dollar charge at Macy's?" he queried, and he heard her clear her throat nervously.

"Uh, what day was that?" she asked, stalling as she searched for the items she had bought that particular shopping spree.

"The eighteenth." He retorted, sounding closer to the door. She slammed the top drawer of her bureau shut and quickly changed into the piece of clothing in her hand.

"Oh, yeah, I remember that."

He scoffed, going back to his seat in the kitchen of their shared apartment.

"Well, what the hell did you buy that cost you eight hundred dollars?"

She hurried up with her zipper and with a final approving nod at the mirror stepped out into the living room.

He was looking down at the credit card bill, his face creased in concentration.

"Well, I bought this."

He looked up. He swallowed. Hard. The bill fluttered to the floor. She was wearing a mini-skirt. A _very mini_ mini-skirt.

"You did?" he managed and she grinned, nodding.

"Yeah, I can take the stuff back though, I did go a little crazy with the bonus." She agreed with him and he stood quickly.

"No, that's…it's…that skirt should stay." He nodded as he crossed the room quickly, wrapping his girlfriend up in his arms and kissing her senseless. She giggled as he picked her up and headed towards the bedroom. He decided he could be mad at her later.

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I know this is short and long overdue, but I have just not felt inspired lately, so I should tell you that you really ought to thank Dark Mage of Sea for giving me this idea, and, therefore, inspiration to write.

Read and review my lovelies

As always

~Andrew's Slinky


	39. Fairy Tales

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If I apologize for being absent these past few months, will you still review? Please?

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Juliet sighed heavily as she sat at her desk. Shawn and Abigail were here to retrieve Shawn's paycheck. She had to watch them wait for it, hand in hand, whispering to one another and giggling.

It was wrong.

How could she have been so blind for so long?

She had always thought he'd wait for her. Thought he'd give her the time to come to grip with her feelings.

She was wrong.

He had moved on without her and it broke her heart. Tears choked her throat and she swallowed them down with intense difficulty.

Abigail laughed out loud and slapped him playfully on the arm. He merely pulled her closer and kissed her temple; smiling himself as she snuggled into him.

Juliet's heart wrenched and she felt sick to her stomach.

Why was her timing so damn terrible?

She liked romantic movies, Cinderella was her favorite fairy tale, and she would never forget, as clichéd as it was, the way she felt the very first time she had seen Romeo kiss Juliet.

She had always thought that one day; a man would come and sweep her off her feet. When she had met Shawn…well, she had thought her wait was over, that he had finally come for her.

At first she had resisted, because her Prince Charming wasn't supposed to be goofy and irresponsible. He wasn't supposed to mess with her life in the way that Shawn had. Shawn had been almost the complete opposite of everything that she had ever wanted. And yet, he was the one who could break her heart, the one who could devastate her and do the right thing all at the same time.

She loved him.

And now, now her Prince Charming had gone and swept another princess into his arms. He had moved the world, had shifted his entire personality almost, to be with Abigail, and wasn't that what you were supposed to do when you were in love? Do anything to make sure that the object of your affection was happy?

He made Abigail happy.

Abigail made him happy.

She was happy for him really. She wanted him to be happy, he deserved to be happy.

It just sucked that she was the ugly step-sister in her own fairy tale.

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Okay, I know, the latest installment yet, and I apologize profusely, but I like this little addition. Because, well, I like Shawn and Juliet, and I hate Abigail, but this is my version of the fall out between our favorite pair because Shawn is otherwise taken care of. Hopefully Abigail will go away in this season.

Read and review please?

~Andrew's Slinky


	40. Brother Carlton

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I am actually really proud and excited about this one, because it's my very first one from Lassiter's point of view, and I think I did pretty well on capturing his character, if not, well, click on that little blue/grey button down there and tell me. Also, this is set a little bit during, and after the Bollywood episode.

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"_Oh, he's jealous she's dating this guy."_

Carlton Lassiter sat in his car, watching out for his partner, and listening in on Shawn and Gus's conversation. And the more he listened in, the angrier he got, and since he was already a pretty angry person that was dangerous territory. He already didn't like Spencer, and he had become much more attached to O'Hara than he thought entirely necessary, but with that attachment came a sort of protectiveness. He looked out for the petite blonde, and she for him. It came with the job.

But this.

This anger boiling in his chest was something new.

How dare he?

How _dare_ he?!

If he could shoot Spencer and not have to go through a psych evaluation, he would. And soon enough, Spencer was going to know it, too.

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"Spencer!" he barked as he watched the psychic and his girlfriend bounce down towards where they took mug shots.

Shawn spun on his heel and looked at Carlton, a pseudo-innocent look on his face.

"What's up Lassie?" he inquired, holding Abigail's hand. She stood by his side, looking curiously up at the taller detective.

"I need to talk to you."

Shawn opened his mouth and Carlton held up his hand to silence him before he came out with an obscure eighties reference that he was going to take ten minutes to explain.

"Alone and now!" he snapped irritably. Shawn looked a little put out as Abigail kissed his cheek and promised him she'd see him later before taking off, a little intimidated by Carlton.

Shawn simply followed him, looking a little sullen until they were alone in an interrogation room.

"What's up Lassie?" his sullenness was gone and he was back to his annoyingly peppy self.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Carlton hissed through clenched teeth as he advanced on the younger man, who looked appropriately startled and backed away.

"What d'you mean?" Shawn questioned, seeming scared, and Carlton took a little more satisfaction in that than was entirely necessary.

"You're dating Abigail."

Shawn looked confused.

"Yes," he answered cautiously.

"Then what the hell are you doing?!"

Shawn still looked confused.

"You mean the mug shots? Oh come on Lassie, it wasn't going to…"

"No! I mean, with Juliet."

Shawn shook his head and quirked an eyebrow.

"Lassie, do you smell burnt toast right now? You're not making any sense."

"You have no right," Carlton poked him in the chest to emphasize each word, "to interfere in her life when _you_ are the one who turned _her_ down."

Shawn looked startled, ashamed, and curious all at once but Carlton was not in the mood to answer any questions. He had finally managed to get O'Hara to talk about her disastrous meeting with Shawn after the Yang case, but Spencer didn't need to know that.

"I…" the psychic gaped like a fish.

"How _dare_ you be angry at her for fake dating someone? How dare you treat her like that? What? You're allowed to turn her down, break her heart, and then carry on flirting with her and treating her like a girlfriend when you already have one?!"

Shawn gulped and pressed himself back against the wall. He knew that look in Carlton's eye. It was that same protective, angry look that his first girlfriend's brother had had the day he'd broken up with her. He also knew that Carlton was right.

He was being unfair to Juliet.

He couldn't treat her feelings like they were nothing.

But he meant what he had said to Abigail; Juliet was NOT just a random co-worker. She was…well…she was what he'd always wanted. But he wasn't ready to have her yet, because when he did, that would be it for him, she would be it for him, and that was still a little scary. He was with Abigail because he didn't see a future with her, he just saw now.

With Juliet he saw marriage, and kids, and growing old together.

He was just waiting for the right time. That had always been their problem, timing.

"I know Lassie, I know."

Carlton's satisfaction dissipated as Shawn seemed to deflate, his eyes losing that fighting glint.

"Shawn," the use of his first name startled the psychic and he looked up at the Irish detective, "you can't treat her like this. She has feelings you know."

Shawn nodded.

"I know Lassie, but I…"

Carlton jabbed him sharply in the shoulder and Shawn winced as he slammed back into the cement wall.

"You start treating her right, or I will shoot you."

He didn't wait for a response, he simply walked away, leaving Shawn to rub his injured shoulder and fight back the tears gathering in his hazel eyes.

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So what did we think? Did I capture Carlton? I hope that I did, because I see this older brother like protective quality to him when he's around Juliet that I just adore. And when he was talking to Shawn and Gus in the car this idea popped in my head and I finally got it down.

Read and review please!

~Andrew's Slinky


	41. Brother Carlton: Revisited

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This chapter was inspired by Hidden Magic, who asked that I do the last chapter through Jules' POV, and I liked the idea, so I'm running with it. Thanks for the inspiration, babe!

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Juliet sat at her desk in the station, going over paperwork, and trying her hardest to ignore Shawn and Abigail just a few simple yards from her. She slammed her drawer shut, a terrible breaking within her chest nearly incapacitating her.

How could he be so happy when she was so miserable?

She swallowed the lump in her throat just in time to hear Carlton's voice drift over the room.

"Spencer!"

She looked over to see Carlton looming over Shawn and Abigail, looking angrier than even she had ever seen him. For a moment she felt bad for Abigail, because the other woman looked a little startled at the venom dripping from Carlton's voice.

"What's up Lassie?" Shawn questioned him, with a look that attempted to be innocent but crashed and burned about five miles from it. His hand clasped firmly around Abigail's as she snuggled up to his side.

Juliet gasped softly as it actually felt like a knife had been twisted in her gut. She couldn't deny this anymore. She was in love with Shawn, and he didn't care, he was with someone else, and he blamed the whole damn thing on timing.

Tears pricked harshly at her eyes and she blinked them away, furious with herself for allowing a man to affect her this much. She was stronger than this, dammit! She would not crumple at the sight of Shawn Spencer of all people, she would not.

"Alone and now!" Lassiter shouted, startling Juliet for a moment and she looked over at the trio of people, Shawn and Lassiter engaged in a harsh staring contest and Abigail looking incredibly nervous.

Abigail kissed Shawn's cheek and murmured something in his ear that Juliet couldn't hear, and the tears returned no matter how badly she tried to force them away. She watched Abigail leave the station and then Shawn follow Lassiter towards the interrogation rooms.

She was tempted to leave Shawn to his fate, but saw the look on her partner's face, and sighed resignedly as she stood. She couldn't let Carlton shoot Shawn, no matter how angry she was at him or herself for her feelings towards him. Besides, Carlton had so narrowly escaped losing his badge the last time that she wasn't so sure his file could handle another unnecessary discharge of weapon stamped across it.

So she followed them at a discrete pace, not wanting Shawn hurt but not able to keep herself from enjoying his discomfort or the scolding he was sure to receive from Carlton. She waited until the door to the interrogation room closed before entering and standing on the other side of the two-way mirror, pressing the appropriate buttons on the intercom to be able to listen in on their conversation.

"What's up Lassie?" Shawn questioned him, as peppy as ever.

"You're dating Abigail." Was the terse reply and Juliet's brows furrowed just as Shawn's did the both of them sporting the same look of confusion. Exactly what was her partner getting at? Of course Shawn was dating Abigail, had he not just seen them? Why was he saying it out loud like it wasn't true until he did?

"Yes," Shawn replied cautiously, not knowing where this was going or where it was even coming from and having enough experience with Carlton to know when to tread lightly.

Juliet stepped closer to the glass, her breath held as she watched them interact, and the vein in Carlton's forehead pulsing dangerously.

"Then what the hell are you doing?"

Juliet was still confused and didn't understand as Shawn started in about mug shots. Then Lassiter interrupted him.

"No! I mean with Juliet."

She gasped, slapping a hand over her mouth quickly, not bothering to remember that while she could hear them, they couldn't hear her. She knew what this was now, and it warmed as well as shattered her heart.

"Lassie, do you smell burnt toast right now? You're not making any sense."

Shawn was either a really great actor or he honestly didn't know, and neither option sat well on Juliet's stomach. Could he really not know? Did he honestly not realize?

"You have no right," Carlton poked him in the chest to emphasize each word, "to interfere in her life when _you_ are the one who turned _her_ down."

Juliet gasped behind her hand once more, tears pricking her eyes. Carlton was defending her. He was advancing on Shawn like a lion on prey and Juliet, as much as she still cared for and liked Shawn, couldn't bring herself to save him.

To be completely honest she took a bit of pleasure in the terrified gleam of his eyes as Lassiter backed him against a wall.

"I…"the psychic gaped like a fish.

Juliet half-smiled. It had taken three hours of almost nonstop pestering for her to finally admit to what had happened between her and Shawn to her partner. And even when she had told him, bursting into harsh sobs as she did so, he had sat very still, reaching once to pat her hand in a slightly awkward fashion, not saying anything until she had calmed and then promised her he'd take care of it.

She had begged him not to, and while he hadn't answered and she knew better than to expect him not to do something he already had his mind set on, she was still completely touched that he cared enough to protect her like her own brother's would.

"How _dare_ you be angry at her for fake dating someone? How dare you treat her like that? What? You're allowed to turn her down, break her heart, and then carry on flirting with her and treating her like a girlfriend when you already have one?!"

Without knowing it, Carlton had just spoken her very thoughts on the subject.

She could not have said it better herself.

Shawn pressed himself back against the wall and swallowed, hard. He looked appropriately terrified and confused and embarrassed and Juliet felt slightly better. She had wanted to yell and scream and throw things at Shawn for weeks now, and the fact that Carlton could do it for her was a load off her mind and a healthy catharsis for her all too fragile heart.

"I know Lassie, I know."

He looked like he did know, but she still wasn't ready to forgive, and, it seemed, neither was Carlton.

"Shawn, you can't treat her like this. She had feelings you know."

Shawn nodded.

"I know Lassie, but I…"

Carlton jabbed him hard in the shoulder and both Juliet and Shawn winced as he slammed against the cement wall none too gently.

"You start treating her right, or I will shoot you."

Juliet smiled softly, knowing that he would at that. Carlton didn't wait for a reply, he merely walked away, and Juliet didn't have time to hide, neither did she want to. He exited the interrogation room, closing the door behind him almost gently for the venom in his features.

He looked startled when he saw Juliet.

She didn't say anything and neither did he. She did step forward and hug him, and he cleared his throat awkwardly but didn't say anything. She noticed that he didn't return the hug, but she didn't mind.

When she pulled away the both of them glanced in the other direction for a moment or two before Carlton cleared his throat again.

"Want lunch?" he asked her and she nodded mutely.

"Yeah, lunch sounds good, Mexican?"

He shook his head.

"I was thinking Chinese."

She smiled as they walked back towards their desks.

"I want Mexican."

"O'Hara, you chose last time. Chinese."

She really was a lucky girl to have such a wonderful partner. Her very own big brother without all the embarrassing childhood memories, who she fought with and who looked out for her. Brother Carlton.

"Mexican."


	42. No Reservation, No Fear

---------------------

This one takes place after the latest episode, which I am still unsure how I feel about. On the one hand, Shawn and Juliet had a sweet moment with the phone call that was ruined by Abigail, and yet, Abigail was not in the episode even though her boyfriend, whom she's practically living with if her toothbrush and clothes are any indication, got shot. If Shawn was your boyfriend and shot, wouldn't you be there with him? Yeah, me too.

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Juliet shook as she stalked around the hospital waiting area. Shawn was going to be kept overnight for observation, the doctors were not happy that he had been jumping out of the backs of trucks onto the hoods of cars in his condition.

Henry and Gus had left over an hour ago, and Carlton had only managed to stay for ten minutes, more to make sure that she was all right than to check on Shawn. Ever since the Yang case he had done everything in his power not to leave her alone with Shawn, and when it was impossible for him not to leave them alone, he always came back to check on her; to make sure she hadn't broken down.

She appreciated that.

Truly, she did.

But she had sent him back to the station, and after a few glares and harsh words exchanged under their breaths so as not to disturb the people around them, he had, with her promise that she'd follow him after an hour or so.

That had been at least four hours earlier and she was still there.

Visiting hours had disappeared along with Gus and Henry; she was still there. Carlton had paged and called her, twice. She was still there.

Abigail had never shown even though she'd been at Gus's side when he'd called her. She was still there.

The woman who was just another random coworker as far as Shawn's girlfriend was concerned. The woman who was not in love with her boyfriend, the woman who was a cop and nothing else.

She was still there, and Abigail hadn't had the decency to show up.

Her heart thudded deep in her chest as she thought back on the day, as her mind centered on the phone call. The one in which she had thought he was truly talking to her, the one in which he had said that he loved _her_ and then said goodbye to Abigail. She had been desperate to blame his lapse on blood loss, but she knew better. He had been pretending to talk to Abigail to get out a message and confuse his captors. So why, why, God help her, why had she been more than ready to say it back? Because he was in a life or death situation and she thought that might bring him to his senses about his feelings? Because when you were staring down the barrel of a gun, you thought of the people you loved?

She did love him.

Had been in love with him for a damn long while now, and only had just come to grips with it.

He'd been shot, facing death, and had used his girlfriend to save his life. Had used her name to pass off clues. It was smart, it was good, it was…callous. And still, she loved him. She didn't care about Abigail or her feelings anymore. She cared about Shawn, and she…she had to tell him. This had been too close, too close, too close. She was an idiot to have left her feelings unsaid. She shouldn't have hesitated, she should have told him. Even if just a few seconds later she would have found out that he wasn't actually telling her his feelings. Even if her own heart would have been liquefied just a few short moments from when it had swollen with happiness; it would have been worth it. Letting him know that she loved him before it was too late; that would have been worth it.

And suddenly, there in the hospital waiting room, Detective Juliet O'Hara fell to her knees and clutched at where her heart would be. Tears flooded her eyes and her breath quickened and came in short gasps.

She had to tell him.

She stood quickly, grateful that the nurses on duty were currently busy, and slipped down the hall. She waited till the coast was clear before ducking into Shawn's room. She took a few short steps towards the bed that held him, and noticed he was fast asleep. His arm was bandaged and his eyes had dark bags underneath them. He looked like hell, but there was peace to his countenance.

She took a deep breath, steeled herself, and stepped fully into the room; standing next to him and taking his hand gently so as not to further injure his shoulder.

"Shawn, don't wake up, ok? I have to be able to say this without you making a joke, or looking at me. Cause I don't know if I can get through this with you looking at me. I just…I need to tell you, even though you're not listening, I need to tell you to your face that I love you. Oh, God, do I love you. I know that I shouldn't. You're with Abigail, and I get that it's serious, or as serious as you'll allow yourself to get. And I know that it is so wrong for me to feel this way about you, but I do, and when I look at you, I forget that Abigail exists. You smile at me, and I have to sit down before I fall down because your smile makes my knees not work, and my heart flutter, and my stomach flip. When I thought that we were going to lose you…that I was going to lose you, I just wanted to let you know that I love you before it's too late."

She took a deep sigh, suddenly feeling so much better and let go of his hand, pressing a sweet and simple kiss to his forehead.

"I'll see you at work, Shawn."

She started out of the room, her entire body trembling as she took a deep breath to attempt to steady herself.

"Jules?"

His voice drifted through the air to scald her ears and she gasped.

"Shawn?" she turned to look at him as he cracked his eyes open and glanced over at her.

"Hey, I thought I heard you."

Her stomach dropped.

"Yeah, exactly how much did you hear?"

He grinned.

"I wouldn't have made a joke, Jules."

"Shawn, don't…you don't have to…you weren't supposed to hear me."

"Yeah, I figured that when you asked me not to wake up."

She smiled despite herself.

"But you did anyway."

He shrugged and then winced as the stitches on his shoulder tugged.

"I wasn't really asleep, so, I couldn't really wake up."

She continued to smile, but stayed in the doorway, too terrified to be next to him now.

"Jules, come here. Why are you so far away?"

"I'm attempting not to run away, but when I lose that fight with myself, I'd like to be close to the door. Visiting hours are over anyway, like a long time ago, and I don't think that nurses would like me being here right now, so I'm close to the door for that too, in case one comes I can, you know, get out of dodge."

She winced as her little monologue got more and more pathetic; swallowing a lump in her throat. He didn't speak for a while and then took a deep breath.

"I was talking to you."

"What?" she asked; confused.

"When I said I love you; I was talking to you."

"Shawn, you had to make them believe that you were talking to Abigail, I get that, you don't have to…"

"No!"

His voice sliced through the air and she jumped.

"No, I love you, Juliet O'Hara, and I want you to know."

"Shawn…"

"I've been trying so hard to make it work with Abigail; I let her put her things in my apartment. Her toothbrush is on the sink with my toothbrush. Her clothes are everywhere, and she doesn't eat pineapple. I hate it. I hate being with her; but I needed to make it work. She was the one that got away, you know? And I needed to make myself believe that I could be with her, that I could be with someone other than you. Cause my feelings for you, Jules, they scared me. But not anymore, ok? I said I love you, and I meant it. I got shot, and she isn't even here. And you are; you're even risking the wrath of night shift nurses, and they can't be happy people."

He attempted to chuckle, suddenly uncomfortable with his speech. He hadn't meant to say that much. He hadn't meant to tell anyone how unhappy he was with Abigail; not even Gus. But when she had come in and taken his hand; well, he'd been hers totally and completely, no reservation, no fear.

She crossed over to him and took his hand.

She was his now, totally and completely, no reservation, no fear.


	43. Happiness

Hidden Magic requested that I write a happy, already established relationship fic, so I do my best to serve. Sorry it's a little later than I told you it would be, babe, hope you love it!

* * *

Shawn watched Juliet sleep, gently curled up to his chest, her nose nuzzling his throat, her arms curled up protectively between them, his own arm wrapped tightly around her, and he wondered just how he had managed to go through life without this woman. How had he ever survived without her? Her sweet smile, her sparkling blue eyes, her erotically soft hair and skin, the gentle rise and fall of her breast while she breathed deeply in sleep.

How could he have ever been happy before her?

He smiled softly as she shifted in her dream state and draped a single naked, shapely leg across him. He felt a low grumbling purr of approval echo through his chest before he could stop it. No matter how many times he made love to his Jules, he still found himself unable to resist the gorgeousness of her body. He would never be able to resist her beauty.

He kissed her temple softly and tugged her closer.

Juliet sighed happily in her sleep and snuggled even closer, stretching an arm out to wrap around his torso.

Shawn took a deep inhale of the scent of her hair. Lavender, he'd never been a fan of the smell till now, because until now it hadn't held such wonderful memories for him. Every time he smelled lavender now he thought of Juliet, and it made his heart swell.

He'd never felt like this before.

He knew he'd never feel like this again.

She was it for him, and he for her, and while that thought should have scared him, it didn't, it made him feel safe, feel anchored. He never felt tied down with Juliet, or like she was attempting to stifle his need to be wild, his need to be free, he was free with Jules.

He took another deep inhale of her scent and the movement caused her beautiful blue-grey eyes to open, blurred with sleep.

"Shawn?" she murmured softly, her lips brushing gently against his skin. Shawn shivered, realizing that his girlfriend was too far gone in sleep to realize the effect her lips were having on him.

"Yeah Jules?" he asked her in turn, looking down at her as she looked up at him.

"What time is it?" she asked, turning in his embrace to glance at the alarm clock only to find that it wasn't in its usual place of sitting on the bedside table.

"We missed the bed the first time, remember?" Shawn teased her lightly, his hand drifting gently across her back, his blunt nails scratching gently. She blushed, and Shawn realized with relish, it spread across her entire body.

"Oh yeah," she snuggled close again, and Shawn sighed, "You okay?" she asked.

He nodded, "Yeah Jules, I'm great."

She seemed satisfied with his answer and kissed his throat gently.

"Shawn?"

"Yeah, baby?" he grumbled low as sleep started to claim him.

"You happy?" she asked, sleepy but still sounding a little uncertain, she was still worried that Shawn would one day eventually get bored with her, with the fact that she was anchored in Santa Barbara.

"Yeah, baby, I'm really happy."

She smiled, tucking her bare leg between his, hugging him tight as he pulled her as close as possible.

He was the happiest that he'd ever been in his life.

* * *

Okay, so I realize it isn't very long, but I hope you like it anyway.

Read and Review my darlings!

~Andrew's Slinky


	44. Goodfellas

So is anyone else just crazy about the new episodes like me? And I am beyond excited for the next episode just because of the commercial with Shawn all soaped up in that decontamination shower….drool. Plus, no more Abigail! Not that I didn't like her…or that I didn't like her and Shawn together….it's just that she isn't Juliet and I want Shules so bad I can taste it! So, yeah, anyway, on with the chapter.

* * *

Juliet sighed heavily as she sat at her desk, pulling a large pile of paperwork towards her as she rolled her neck in pain. She was exhausted, stiff, and drained.

"Hey Jules," Shawn's chipper voice echoed through the almost empty police station and she perked up considerably.

"Hey Shawn," she greeted as he came to stand in front of her desk, grinning softly at her. Her gaze flickered to the cut on his lip and she felt guilty. If she hadn't involved him in this he wouldn't have been put in the situation. She sent him a soft smile and then went back to her paperwork, avoiding the hard stare he was giving her.

"You okay?" he asked a second or two later, real worry lacing his tone. She sighed heavily again and gestured to all the papers before her.

"Yeah, I'm just going to have to pull an all nighter to get this done."

He cocked his head in that adorable way he has and dragged his gaze across the papers she'd indicated.

"Why? Can't you just do it tomorrow?" he asked her, curious and she smiled.

"No, I already procrastinated enough and they're due tomorrow morning and I've barely even made a dent."

He nodded and then disappeared from her side without a word. She fought the pang of annoyance and sadness that threatened to rip through her and was startled a bit when he appeared once more, Lassiter's chair in hand. She raised an eyebrow at him but remained silent as he dragged the chair over to her side of the desk and sat down beside her.

"Here, give me some," he leaned forward and grabbed a stack of papers.

"Shawn, I can't let you do that, you aren't a cop."

He frowned at her, "No, but I am your friend, let me help."

She sighed, judged the stack of paper before her, the crick in her neck and the time of night and then nodded, passing him a pen.

"Okay, thanks."

He nodded and they settled into a comfortable rhythm of doing Juliet's paperwork, until about an hour later when Juliet turned to look at Shawn as she gave her writing hand a break.

"Shawn?"

He looked up at her, the most adorable expression of concentration on his features.

"Hmmm?"

"Have you ever ordered spaghetti with marinara sauce and get egg noodles and ketchup instead?"

He smiled at her, "Sure have, I'm an average nobody. I get to live the rest of my life like a schnook. Goodfellas, Jules? I never would have guessed."

Juliet just smiled and started back on the paperwork even as Shawn continued to watch her.

"Any reason you asked me that?" he questioned her, working on his stack of papers now, his hazel gaze on the small print before him.

"Just curious," she replied, continuing to smile, feeling a lot lighter than she previously had.

* * *

Okay, just a little fluff piece, did anybody else notice that when Jules asked this of her college boyfriend and he didn't get it that her face totally fell? Her expression, to me at least, just screamed 'Shawn would have gotten this!' So I had to write about it. And I did take a few lines from Goodfellas, so, the credit goes to whoever is responsible for them.

Read and Review my Darlings!

~Andrew's Slinky


	45. Caring

Wow, I am soooooo slow at updating my Shules stories and I apologize so so so so so much for it. I just cannot seem to get very inspired to write Psych stories; I don't know what it is. My writing has been lacking in awesomeness lately and I am totally hesitant to post anything, but Hidden Magic PM'd me, and kicked my but in gear for an update for this at the very least, so hopefully I still have people reading, and I make no promises on updating Gone in 30240 Seconds in a timely manner, but I do promise to try my very best. I also apologize for the shortness of this chapter.

Perhaps I could get some review encouragement?

* * *

Shawn had never really stayed in one place very long. He'd left when he was eighteen and hadn't ever really looked back. He'd traveled all over the world, working odd jobs and relying on his exquisite observational and lying skills to get him through life.

So, it stands to logic that he'd never really had anything to care for.

He'd had his bike, still did actually, and he took care of it. Taking it to the mechanic for a yearly check-up, buying tires and everything else his precious baby may need.

He cared about Gus, but Gus was the one who always ended up caring for Shawn.

The same went for his dad, even if their relationship was in an odd place more often than not.

He even cared for Lassiter and Chief Vick, but they cared for him more. And he knew the distinction.

He knew that caring about someone wasn't the same thing as caring for them. Caring about meant loving them, cherishing them, wanting them to be happy. Caring for something or someone meant all of those things and more. It meant being protective of them, taking care of them, getting them what they needed. Putting their needs above your own for the sheer simple pleasure of being able to take care of them.

So Shawn Spencer had never really had anything to care for.

And he'd perfectly accepted that as a truth in his world and didn't worry too much more about it.

Until he saw it. He'd never thought that something so simple could alter his entire life.

It seemed a little ridiculous.

At least it would, if it wasn't so damn perfect.

Standing before him, looking a little bewildered, drowning in his leather jacket, was Juliet O'Hara.

"Shawn? You okay?"

She'd been cold just seconds before but his jacket seemed to be working wonders.

It made her look almost impossibly small and beautiful and very much like he was taking care of her.

"I'm fine Jules; you look good in my jacket."

She smiled and took his hand, "Ready to head inside?"

He shook his head, "Let's stay out a little longer."

She continued to smile and nodded, tucking the jacket a little tighter around her body.

"Sure, your jacket will keep me warm."

He smiled.

He had someone to care for.

It was a nice sort of feeling, and one he very quickly decided would need to last.

Juliet continued to smile.

Yeah, forever sounded good to him.


	46. Art Class

I haven't died, although it seems that way I'm sure, and I'm not entirely certain where this came from, but it is a college AU, so….yeah, I had fun with this, and it seems like something that Shawn would do. Also, I can't make any promises on when an update for Gone will be coming, but I am trying, really hard. So, I hope this will tide you over.

It's really a good thing that she's not actually a cop yet and therefore not legally allowed to carry a gun, Juliet thinks as she takes out her pencil and sketchpad, because otherwise she probably would have shot Anna for making her take this stupid art class when she's a _criminology_ _major._ But, Anna had smiled and cajoled and promised a pair of killer heels and so Juliet had rearranged her schedule to fit in this art class when she can hardly draw stick figures with any accuracy.

But it has been relatively interesting, giggling over her inability to draw and Anna's obvious prowess with the medium. But Juliet has an uncanny ability to remember obscure laws and she knows how to take apart and then rebuild a Berretta in record time, so everyone has their own niche and its pretty fun to share in Anna's.

Then their newest model walks in, nothing but a robe, and he's tan skin, dark hazel eyes, and bright smile and suddenly Juliet kind of hates Anna; and when the model sheds his robe and simply _lounges_ on the pedestal in the middle of the room seemingly unaware of the fact that he's completely _naked_ (and then it occurs to her that may be simply because he's entirely aware of just how absolutely beautiful he is) she just really wishes she had simply gone straight to the academy and not bothered to go to college simply to please her parents.

This man makes her mouth water and her body shivers with _something_ and she momentarily entertains the thought of simply dropping the class because she can't handle this. Can't handle his pretty eyes and fucking gorgeous smile, especially when he directs it at her and then winks and she feels the blush spread across her neck and then creep up into her face.

She's going to be a cop, she _does not blush._ How is anyone ever going to take her seriously as an authority figure when she blushes? She's already short, blonde and pretty, she doesn't need blushing to add to the litany of disbelief she's going to receive when she goes to the academy.

But she makes it through the fifty minutes that make up the class and ignores Anna's knowing smirks as she packs up her supplies. Then the model is at her side, robe wrapped around his body again, and she's suddenly so _very_ _very_ aware of the fact that he's naked beneath the terry cloth and the thought that she'd like to take off that robe sneaks past and she nearly swallows her tongue.

"Hi," he offers, another bright smile, and dark eyes trailing over her. (She wishes that she'd taken the time to actually look presentable today instead of a pair of old shorts and a t-shirt).

"Hi," she's proud of herself for keeping her voice even, with that gorgeous smile trained on her.

"I'm Shawn," he holds a hand out and it's pure instinct that causes her to clasp it with her own and he shakes it gently, his thumb stroking over the thin skin at her wrist, "you an art major?"

She's a little busy staring down at where his thumb is still rubbing over her skin, sparks crackling in her blood, to listen to what he's saying.

"What?" looks up, wide eyed confusion and he smiles a little wider, finally dropping her hand and she feels a little cold, almost anchorless without it.

"I asked if you were an art major, I wouldn't object to a name either," leans in a little as though what he has to say is a secret, he smells like pineapple.

She wants to lean in, refrains by the barest margin, "My name's Juliet, I'm a criminology major. You?"

He shakes his head, and when he laughs it sparks something warm deep in her belly, "Oh I don't go here, I'm just modeling for the money."

"Oh," she had thought she'd be disappointed, she isn't, and "So, you model?"

Another laugh and a shake of the head, "Nope, just a new odd job to fill the void."

She nods, understands the need for something new, something different, wouldn't have picked nude modeling personally, but hey, to each his own, right?

"Well, interesting choice."

He grins widely, gestures to the clock, "Do you have a class to get to or can you wait for me to change?"

His presumptuousness startles her but she finds herself waving Anna on ahead and standing around, shouting through the bathroom door.

"Actually, this is my last class of the day."

There's a pause, then, "Great! Um…" he seems to realize that may have been a little too enthusiastic, coughs, "Um, would you wanna get some lunch?"

She doesn't know anything about this guy other than his name is Shawn and he doesn't go to school or have a steady job (realizes suddenly introducing him to her father as the man she met when he was a nude model for her art class probably won't go over well).

"I know this really great little diner just off campus."

She dithers for a minute, bites the corner of her thumbnail as he comes back out, green t-shirt and jeans, looking just as delectable in clothes as he is out of them and her brain short circuits.

"Sure, lunch sounds great."

His grin is practically blinding and she returns it without thought as she swings her bag onto her shoulder and follows him out of the classroom, down a flight of stairs and out into the sunlight. She can't help biting her lip when he asks her what she's going to do with her criminology degree, and the bite is quickly replaced by a pleased grin when he immediately asks questions about the idea of her being a cop.

She's completely grateful that he isn't one of those jerks who laugh when they find out her career goals, expect her to be a teacher or a nurse because she's blonde and perky. Shawn is smiling, listening intently as she explains and that warm spark in her belly returns with almost frightening intensity.

"You mind taking my bike? The meter's gonna run out soon."

He turns to her, bright smile with a hint of nervousness and she slots her fingers between his, warmth in the grip, a smile on her face and this is the lightest she's felt in a while, holding hands with the nude model from her class, climbing onto the back of his bike, accepting the helmet he hands her.

This art class is going to be something special.


	47. Runaway

So, did anyone else squeal like a complete maniac when Shawn yelled out his love for Juliet? Hot damn, that was the sexiest, most romantic thing ever; and Lassie's response about shooting Shawn if he hurt her? Swoon.

Also, I promise another chapter of Gone is coming, but it's still a work in progress so I wouldn't expect it anytime soon.

The first thing that Juliet sees when she wakes up is Michael's face.

It isn't a bad thing to wake up to really, he has dark brown eyes and a strong jaw-line, and okay so his hair could use some help but he's very attractive and very sweet and she does love him. A part of her wonders if maybe she doesn't love him enough, but it's a small part of her, a miniscule part that never really recovered from the fact that she and Shawn never did get their timing right.

But she loves Michael, and for now it's enough.

The ring he gives her is too big and needs to be resized. She wonders if that's a sign, but everything else about his proposal and the ring were perfect and so maybe she's just a little too critical.

The wedding planning takes just a few months. It feels incredibly rushed and not at all how she had pictured it, but then, Michael was exactly what she pictured her future husband to be, tall, good looking, successful, with a life plan, and isn't that what it's really about? The man?

Something still feels off but she pushes it to the back of her mind.

She looks great in her dress, and she feels beautiful and she knows that she should be worried and upset and practically hysterical when her father throws his back out and can't do anything but be slumped in the corner of a pew. But all she can really feel is relief.

Carlton steps up though, looking incredibly put out and grumpy, but he manages to give her a soft smile and offers his arm and she feels her throat close up, the lump caused by her tears practically choking her. She gives her partner a kiss on the cheek and together they walk down the aisle.

Chief Vick is there, Buzz and his wife (whose belly has a suspicious bump), even Henry has come out for her wedding, sitting with Gus, the both of them smiling at her, even if it's a little forced.

She can't decide if she feels relief or anger when she doesn't see Shawn's face and as Carlton hands her off to Michael she's still looking for the psychic.

She knows that it's completely obvious what she's doing, her eyes haven't landed on Michael's face for the whole ceremony, but she just can't believe that Shawn didn't have the decency to show up. She'd sent him an invitation.

She knows why he didn't come and it breaks her heart.

"And do you, Juliet O'Hara, take Michael Hart to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"_Shawn, what are you doing?"_

"_I call it…very close talking."_

"_I don't have a sister."_

"_How about a boyfriend?"_

"_Here, let me read your palm."_

"_How about just one finger?"_

"_You and you are a one-hundred percent match from your personality questionnaires. I smell love!"_

"_Wow your timing really sucks."_

"Juliet?"

Michael's voice brings her back to the now and she can vaguely register the sound of a revving engine in the background. The church is dead silent in a way that feels explosive, like they're all waiting for the chance to say something and Juliet feels sick to her stomach.

"Juliet?"

"I can't."

The church heaves a collective gasp but Juliet's ears are ringing too loudly for her to hear. Did she just say that?

"What?"

"I'm sorry Michael, I…I can't."

And just like that she's free.

It isn't a conscious decision but she turns on her heel and runs down the aisle anyway. Vaguely she registers her veil flying off her head; her perfectly coifed hair goes loose as she races down the front stairs of the church.

"Jules?"

The shout startles her and there's Shawn, sitting on his motorcycle, in a suit, his helmet under his arm. He looks as shocked as she feels but she races over to him anyway.

"Jules, wha…aren't you supposed to be getting married?"

She laughs for what feels like the first time in months, "Get a girl out of here?"

He smiles, the first smile she's seen from him in a while and he hands over his helmet.

"Hop on."

She swings her leg over the bike, straps on the helmet and squeals with laughter as he takes off, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

They park by the beach and when they get off the bike they get a small round of clapping and congratulations from the surrounding people. Juliet can feel her face heat but she doesn't pull away when he takes her hand and leads her down onto the sand.

They walk in silence and she can tell that he's dying to ask her, but he remains uncharacteristically silent.

"So, you're not gonna ask me?"

He looks over at her, a small smile on his face, "I figured you'd talk when you were ready."

She squeezes his hand gratefully, "I just…it wasn't right. He was this great, gorgeous guy that loved me, but it just wasn't right."

They walk a little farther before Shawn says anything.

"Why?"

She knows what he's asking, but she's afraid, so she stalls, "Why what?"

She can tell that he knows what she's doing, but he just squeezes her hand, it makes her feel warm inside.

"Why wasn't it right?"

It's now or never; "He wasn't you."

She can feel the shock that he goes through, he physically startles and then she's swept up into his arms, spinning around the beach. She can't help the laughter that escapes her, the happy squeal as he sets her down, holds her close.

"I thought you were happy, I wanted to say something, to step in, but I….you were happy."

She knows now why he showed late. He'd been debating whether or not he'd have been strong enough to watch her marry someone else.

She's grateful that she's not the only one who couldn't stomach it.

He's fun, she realizes, and just because he likes to be fun and to be silly doesn't mean that he can't be serious and he's gorgeous and he can lift her up in his arms, carry her over the threshold when they end up back at his place; and she laughs because it's just so perfectly _Shawn_ and he seems to take enjoyment in her joy.

His hands shake when he unzips her wedding gown and she's surprised that he's the one who's so nervous but she guides his hands and when she steps out of the gown and stands before him in nothing more than white lace the look on his face makes her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

The first thing Juliet sees when she wakes up is Shawn's face.

And it's perfect.


End file.
